Only Human
by Phillip's Princess
Summary: It's been months for the Pevensies, but five years for Narnia, before they are called back by Susan's horn. Help is needed to defeat an invading nation. Along the way Peter falls in love with the impossible and will have to decide which world to live in.
1. The Rescue

Hey everyone! I'm Red Rae Rae, and this is my first Narnia fanfic, which I'm super stoked about! However, this is not my first fanfic. I have 2 up in Fruits Basket (anime), 1 in Newsies (musical), 1 in High School Musical (musical, obviously), and 1 in Fantastic 4 (superhero movie). So if any of those appeal to you, I'd be honored if you'd check them out as well. Anyway, I hope you enjoy my Narnia fic. PLEASE leave reviews! I love getting feedback! It's always wonderful to hear back from your audience what they're thinking of your writing and such. I've tried to write all of the cannon characters as realistically and as "in character" as possible, so I hope you'll be pleased with the way I've kept their characters. Anyway, enough rambling. Consider this: what if Aslan had allowed Peter and Susan to return to Narnia one last time? That question is just about to be answered. Oh, and just in case it wasn't clear, this story starts after Prince Caspian and is going off of the movie. Yes, I have read the book, but I just decided to write this story continuing off of the movie instead of the book. Anyway, enjoy, and R&R!!

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**Only Human**

**Chapter 1**

"Let me go, your highness; it is too dangerous a mission for you to risk your life, and Narnia needs you too greatly to lose you now."

Caspian bent his head to look at the small dwarf at his side. Although he tried to hide his emotion behind the red whiskers on his face, tinted gray over the years, and his firm features, Caspian knew Trumpkin was extremely worried about him and his well-being. Still, he was determined to put his life on the line for his country – his and his alone. After all, he was the king.

"No, Trumpkin, no one is going in my stead. I've made up my mind; besides, between the two of us I'm the better rider," Caspian replied.

"Oh, that's not another crack about dwarves, is it?" Trumpkin sighed, rolling his eyes as Caspian chuckled.

"Take is anyway you like," he responded, placing a helmet on top of his brunette head.

"Sire," a voice said on his other side. He turned to look down at the badger touching his foot, the nearest thing to it from where Caspian sat atop his horse. "Be careful."

"I will, Trufflehunter," he promised. "I will return by nightfall." With that he kicked Destrier and the two flew out of the royal stables into the woods of Narnia.

No sooner had he entered the woods then two men on horseback, hidden within the brush, took off after him. They were dressed in armor just as he was, however their armor did not beat the Narnian emblem. Caspian urged Destrier on faster, panting with exhaustion and fear. Suddenly two more soldiers appeared from behind two trees right in front of him. He had no time to react, only enough time to draw his sword to block the blow from the soldier on his right. The strike was so forceful it propelled him backward off of Destrier, who continued running. Caspian now lay flat on the forest floor, his sword resting inches from his fingers, but before he could reach for it one of the soldiers who had been behind him jumped down from his horse and kicked the sword away from his hand. The four men surrounded him as he backed up into the base of a tree, and one of the soldiers pointed his own sword right at his face.

"Well, what do we have here? King Caspian himself," one chuckled.

"Alone and unarmed," another added.

"What do you think we should do with such a find?"

"I believe King Midas would be quite interested in our find, don't you?"

"Quite interested," one nodded.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, four long vines of ivy shot out of the air and wrapped themselves around the men's necks. They gasped for breath desperately but eventually ceased to move and fell to the ground dead. Caspian scanned his surroundings nervously, not daring to move. The ivy begn to unwind itself from around the four soldiers' necks slowly until it was floating in midair in before him. As he watched the ivy formed itself into the figure of a woman. A flash of bright light and a beautiful young woman with flowing red hair, dressed in nothing but a small green dress made of ivy leaves, stood before him.

"Are you all right, my lord?" she asked, bending down and offering him her hand to help him up. He took it, still slightly cautious, but once he had risen to his full height she fell to her knees in reverence.

"It is I who should be bowing at your feet, my lady, for you have saved my life," he said. "Rise." She came to her feet slowly.

"What are you doing in the forest, my king? The soldiers of Ronstadt are posted all throughout these woods. They would love nothing better than to take you captive until they have forced us to surrender," the girl said worriedly.

"I know, but I must deliver these battle plans to our troops at the How," Caspian replied. Without a word the redhead bent down to peer into a tiny hole in the tree behind her which looked like the window to a home.

"Pattertwig!" she called. The large squirrel emerged from the hole and climbed onto her shoulder obediently.

"Yes, Ivy?" he questioned.

"King Caspian needs important battle plans delivered to Aslan's How immediately," she instructed. Upon the words "King Caspian," the squirrel suddenly noticed the man standing before him.

"My liege." He bowed low from his position on Ivy's shoulder. "I will move with the greatest of speed."

"No one is delivering these plans for me. I thank you for your eagerness to help, but I must do this myself," Caspian said.

"Your highness," Ivy said softly, taking a step closer to him and touching his hand tenderly. "Narnia cannot afford to lose anyone, most of all her king."

"All right," he said finally after a long period of silence. He pulled a scroll of parchment out of his belt and reluctantly handed it to Pattertwig.

"Don't worry, your majesty; I will not fail you," Pattertwig promised as he bounded off of Ivy's shoulder onto a nearby tree branch and took off through the forest.

"Pattertwig will deliver the plans safely to the How; you can count on that," Ivy said, staring into the woods in the direction the squirrel had taken.

"I do not doubt it," Caspian said, placing a hand on her shoulder as she started slightly and turned to face him. "Thank you once again for saving my life."

"Narnia would be lost without you, King Caspian," she replied. "But you must not linger here any longer." She whistled a faint tune as a small doe leapt into view until she was standing right beside the girl. "Topaz will deliver you safely back to the palace."

"It would be an honor, my king," the soft voice of the young doe said as she bent her head in a bow.

"How can I possibly repay you for your many kindnesses?" Caspian asked, stunned, staring at Ivy.

"I haven't done anything to deserve any kind of payment, only remained loyal to my country and my king," she replied. "Now go."

"I will never forget you, Ivy," he said as he mounted Topaz and picked up his sword.

"Go!" Ivy cried urgently as Topaz galloped off in the direction of the castle. "Go."


	2. Christmastime in London

Well, here's the next chappie. Just fyi - I try to update weekly, depending on the number of review, so don't forget to R&R!! Oh, if there is a specific review I receive that I want to give an answer to, I will always include that answer in a note, and this time are I do have a few.

MusicalSoul: Ivy is not linked to any specific tree, but, as a vine of ivy, she an attach herself to any tree near her. Good question! I had the idea of having her linked with a specific tree in my head when I first began to write, but changed it, and you'll see why as more is revealed on Ivy. LOL. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Keep it up!

jack kelly's cowgirl: You guessed it. LOL. No, I did not come up with the squirrel's name, that is actually a squirrel in Prince Caspian. They don't make a reference to his name in the movie, but the little squirrel in the movie I assume is who they intended that to be. But as for deer, yes, I did come up with her name. I'm glad you like them. And I'm not sure whether humans can ride deer or not. I think it's possible but they're not as easy to ride as horses just because of their more slender bone structure. But I think it is possible. At least I keep remembering the dwarves riding the deer in Snow White. LOL.

Rinji Asthore-chan: Yes, yes, yes, I know, I know. LOL. But you know how we were having that conversation at school about the spirits coming out the trees. Anyway, she's not technically a tree anyway. LOL. But yes, I do not that it's not completely accurate to the way C.S. Lewis wrote tree spirits. I tweaked it a bit for the purpose of this story. LOL. I hope you still like it!

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**Chapter 2**

"Peter, would you bring that box of ornaments over here, closer to the tree?" Susan asked her older brother with a cheery smile. He nodded glumly and picked up a heavy box of Christmas ornaments, dropping it on the ground beside her. She looked up at him from her kneeling position at the base of the evergreen tree in their parlor, slightly offended by his actions. "Did you have to drop it like that? You could have broken something."

"Well, sorry," he responded, rolling his eyes.

"What's the matter with you? You've been moping like this ever since we returned."

"You know what's wrong with me; I want to go back. First term was murder," he replied, sitting down on a nearby box and resting his elbows on his knees and then his head in his hands.

"Only because you made it that way," Susan corrected.

"Well what do you expect? I go from being treated like royalty to a common student in the classroom, just like everybody else. You just assume that I can switch back and forth without it affecting me at all."

"No, I don't, but you're not even trying to adjust," Susan said a bit bitterly, taking an ornament from the box and hanging it on the Christmas tree.

"I shouldn't have to," Peter said softly. Susan didn't know what to say to that, so instead she simply continued with her work as Peter watched her sulkily, head still in his hands.

It had been about four months since the Pevensie children's their last venture in Narnia, and, unlike Susan who had made the most of their normal lives in London since their return, Peter couldn't help but find himself fed up with it all. The drugery of school and textbooks and immature classmates seemed to be drowning him in a sea of monotony which carried him further and further away from London into a world where animals talked, fauns danced in the moonlight, and a lion reigned supreme. Lucy and Edmund hadn't had it nearly as easy as Susan either, but they had finally come to grips with the fact that Aslan had not yet called them back again. Peter, on the other hand, with his puffed-up sense of honor and decency that came from being High King of Narnia, just couldn't accept the fact that he was now simply another face in the crowd and had to let certain things go. A bump on the shoulder without an apology, a knock in the hallway that sent his books flying in all directions without so much as a helping hand – these were all things he encounted on a daily basis that added to his anger of being reduced, once again, to a world where he was just like everybody else. And it wasn't simply the fact that he wasn't a king anymore. He missed the woods and the freedom and the fresh air and the creatures of the forest and the trees and Aslan. Yes, he missed Aslan terribly.

He was so caught up in himself, however, that he hardly noticed that his conception of Susan was hardly reality. In his eyes, Susan had returned to London from Narnia just like the rest of them and picked up right where she had left off. However, nothing could have been further from the truth, at least on the inside. Susan was a girl of mind over matter, and though she tried desperately to reason away her emotions, her strong, well-adjusted exterior was only a façade which hid the deeper feelings of her heart tucked away into a small chasm with hardly any light. The boy she had met during their stay, the strong, rugged, dark Telmarine who had fought beside her for Narnia and Aslan, reeked havoc on her mind day and night. She should never have kissed him, never allowed her emotions freedom even for that one split second, because now it was ten times harder than it would have been to get him out of her mind. Caspian.

"Remember the Christmases in Narnia?" Peter said suddenly after five minutes of complete silence.

"The dryads singing carols through the woods," Susan said dreamily, giving in to Peter's wish to reminisce about the old days.

"The dwarves bringing their gifts to the palace," Peter added.

"The smell of a dozen pines filling the entryway."

"The Christmas Eve feast."

"The snow."

"The fauns dancing until midnight around a warm fire," a small voice said as both Peter and Susan whipped their heads up to see Lucy, dressed in a nightgown, standing at the top of the stairs that led up to their bedrooms.

"Lucy, what are you doing up?" Peter asked, standing up immediately and going over to the banister as Susan followed.

"Mum told you to stay in bed so your cold doesn't get worse," Susan reminded her in a reprimanding tone.

"I'm feeling better. Can't I come and decorate the tree with you?" Lucy pleaded. Susan stared at her sternly for a moment and then allowed her mouth to form a gentle smile.

"All right, but don't you dare tell her that I let you. She was counting on me to keep you in bed," she said as Lucy's face beamed and she raced down the stairs to join her sister at the Christmas tree.

Peter turned around and watched his sisters as they placed ornament after ornament upon the tall tree in their parlor, their faces bright and filled with happiness. He couldn't help but smile softly upon the scene. Wasn't it about time he joined in? Wasn't it about time he stopped sulking in the corner and joined his family in London? With a great sigh he straightened his shoulders and made his way over to a box near the base of the tree, bending over it slightly to pick up another ornament. Susan and Lucy froze as soon as they noticed their brother placing the ornament upon the tree, but after a moment Lucy smiled and joined him. Susan, however, was still in shock. This was what she'd been waiting for.

"What are you staring at?" Peter asked her with a smile.

"You," she breathed.

"What about me? I'm decorating the tree," he replied, returning to the box for another ornament. As he did so a sly smirk grew on his face. He had completely stunned her. "Here, Lu, why don't you hang this one way up there?" He turned to Lucy and pointed to one of the top branches of the tree. "I'll lift you up on my shoulders so you can reach."

"Really?" the girl asked with excitement as he nodded, squatting so that she could climb up his back and onto his shoulders.

"Yeah, right there, that's it," he instructed. As Susan watched, tears began to form in her eyes. Lucy's voice, however, shook her out of it finally.

"I can't believe Mum and Edmund aren't back yet."

"Well, they went to deliver food baskets all over town; I imagine that takes a while, Lu," Susan said with a teasing smile as Peter helped Lucy down from his shoulders.

"Still, they have been gone a while," he stated. No sooner had he said this, though, then the front door flew open as a gust of cold wind flew through the house, and in trudged Edmund and Mrs. Pevensie, their coats covered in freezing snow.

"Speak of the devil," Susan chuckled, going over to her mother to help her out of her coat.

"Thank you, dear," Mrs. Pevensie said as Susan took her coat and proceeded to hang it in the hall closet.

"It's a monster out there tonight," Edmund was saying to Peter and Lucy.

"How many houses did you go to?" Peter asked.

"Enough," his younger brother chuckled in response.

"I'll put some tea on," Susan suggested, rushing off into the kitchen.

"Thanks, Su, I sure could use it," Edmund said.

"I'm sorry I couldn't go with you tonight, Edmund; I really wanted to," Lucy said, looking up at her brother sheepishly.

"Ah, come on, you didn't want your cold to get worse, did you? And believe me, it would have in weather like that," he replied. Upon these words Mrs. Pevensie suddenly noticed her youngest child standing there in the parlor.

"Lucy, what on earth are you doing out of bed?" she cried worriedly.

"It's all right, Mother, I feel much better," she protested.

"That's what they all say, and the next minute you've got typhiod fever and who knows what else," Mrs. Pevensie said. "Now, you're going right back up to bed."

"Oh, Mother, can't I at least stay and have tea? The tea will do me some good," Lucy begged. Mrs. Pevensie thought a moment as she stared into the pleadingly eyes of her young daughter until finally she gave a reluctant smile.

"Oh, all right, but only one cup and then you're heading straight back up to bed," she said as everyone laughed and went into the kitchen to join Susan.


	3. A Call For Help

Well, here's comes chappie 3. A little short, but don't worry, the action will be picking up very soon. Stick with it and enjoy! And PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW!!

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**Chapter 3**

"Our last plan didn't go as well as we'd hoped it would," Trumkpin said to Caspian with a deep sigh, sitting down at the table beside him with a cup of ale.

Weeks had passed since Caspian's encounter with Ivy in the woods, and, although Pattertwig had indeed gotten the battle plans to the How, the attack hadn't gone nearly as well as he'd hoped it would. Narnia seemed to be falling deeper and deeper into the clutches of the Ronstadt army with every failed attempt. The trouble had all begun two years after the Pevensies had returned to their own world when the neighboring country of Ronstadt had invaded Narnia. King Midas believed that a young king like Caspian, even though he had defeated his uncle in battle, would never be able to withstand the might of his great nation. So far, he had been right. The war between the countries had gone on for three years now and, though there had been many victories for Narnia early on, Ronstadt had grown stronger and lately Narnia hadn't been able to do much damage at all. Now he sat around a round table in the kitchen of the palace with Trumpkin, Trufflehunter, and one of his minotaur generals drinking ale and trying to decide what do to next. A centaur, unable to sit, stood behind him.

"And we're running out of ideas," Trufflehunter added wearily.

"As well as morale," the minotaur chimed in.

"Your centaurs will remain faithful to the end, my liege," the centaur behind Caspian said as the young man turned to face him, nodded, and then returned his attention to the table.

"So will the rest of Narnia, all I'm saying is that hope is dwindling among everyone, soldiers and citizens alike," the minotaur elaborated.

"You speak the truth, Tyrus," the centaur nodded.

"Sire, we can't go on like this; we need help," Trumpkin said, peering into Caspian's eyes knowingly.

"Who do you suppose we call? Aslan hasn't been seen since order was restored five years ago," Caspian replied.

"I wasn't referring to Aslan," Trumpkin replied. He then pulled Susan's horn out of the bag resting beside his seat. "I was referring to them." Caspian drew back slightly.

Ever since the Pevensies had left Narnia, Susan's horn had been stored safely in the palace treasury along with Peter's sword and Lucy's miraculous vial of juice from the Fire Flower. The sight of the sacred artifact left the young king speechless for a moment. He could once again feel Susan's lips pressed against his for that one split second in time, and the ache within his heart that he had tried for so long to surpress overtook him in a wave of emotion instantly. His eyes filled with tears for a moment until he realized that all the other eyes in the room were fixed upon him. He sniffled and pulled his eyes away from the horn to look straight into Trumpkin's.

"I can't do it," he said, shaking his head.

"All you have to do is blow it, your majesty," Trumpkin urged, holding the horn closer to him.

"You know Narnian time runs differently than theirs; for all we know it's only been a few months for them, and I couldn't just rip them back into our world when they've only just gotten used to being in their world again," Caspian reasoned.

"What other choice do we have?" Trumpkin asked him. Caspian looked around the room desperately at the other three, wishing greatly that one of them would say something to defend his end of the argument.

"As much as I hate to disagree with you, sire, Trumpkin's right; our list of options is growing thin," Trufflehunter said as Tyrus and the centaur nodded in agreement.

"I know," Caspian grumbled frustratingly. He turned back to Trumpkin again, looking from the dwarf to the horn in consternation. Did he really dare to call them back again? Did he dare to bring her back into his life when he knew that, eventually, she would have to return to her world again?

"Don't you want to see her again?" Trumpkin whispered. Caspian's eyes grew two times wider at this question.

"And what about you? You just want to see Lucy again," Caspian spat back defensively.

"Queen Lucy was as much a dear little friend to me as I was to her, and she always will be; she saved my life, for goodness sake. If she hadn't been there last time I wouldn't be alive today. Of course I want to see her again, but I know that my desire to see my queen again is hardly reason enough to call her back to Narnia, but this war is." Trumpkin looked deep into Caspian's eyes. "I'm sure she still loves you every bit as much as you do her. I know it must be painful for you, my king, but consider your country." Caspian's eyes roved back and forth from Trumpkin's face to Susan's horn so many times that he grew dizzy. He fixed his eyes upon the horn and glanced around the table at the faces all silently urging him to blow it. He turned around to see the centaur nodding his head in affirmation, then turned back to Trumpkin and the horn.

_Please let her still love me_, he thought as he grasped the horn within his hands once again, brought it to his lips, and blew.


	4. Returning to Narnia

Well, the Pevensies are finally in Narnia as of this chappie! LOL. Enjoy, and PLEASE REVIEW!! I want to know what you're all thinking so far! LOL.

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**Chapter 4**

"Check," Edmund said, moving his knight to set up Peter once again. His older brother sighed from across the chess board and scratched his head.

"Why did I ever let you talk me into playing chess with you?" he asked with a smirk as Edmund smiled back.

"Just move," Edmund replied.

"All right, all right, just give me a minute. I've gotta have some time to get out of this mess you've put me in."

"Take all the time you need," Edmund chuckled.

The two boys were seated in front of the fireplace on a beautiful maroon rug with Edmund's chess set. Edmund, the better of the two brothers at strategy, was beating Peter just as he'd intended, although he had to admit that Peter's game was improving with each time they played. Susan sat nearby cross-stitching with Lucy at her side who was simply staring into the fire, letting it warm her face. It was Christmas Eve, and Mrs. Pevensie had already gone to bed for the night with the promise that her children would all be in bed as soon as the boys' chess game was over. She had had another tiring day of delivering food baskets, and even with the help of Edmund and Lucy she had ended up exhausted by the time she crossed the threshold of her own house once more. She would have liked nothing better than to sit around the fire with her four children, but Susan had insisted she go to bed after a hot cup of tea, and she had been in no mood to argue. Mr. Pevensie was, of course, still away at war, but the children had hopes every day that he would be allowed leave to come home and see them over the holidays even if he couldn't be there on Christmas Day itself.

"Aslan!" Lucy shouted suddenly, startling Peter in the midst of moving his bishop so that he dropped it, scattering the rest of the chess pieces all over the board.

"Oh, Lucy!" he cried, exasperated, the name she had uttered not registering just yet, only the actions that had followed.

"What?" Edmund asked.

"Aslan?" Susan stared at her sister confused. "What on earth are you talking about, Lucy?"

"I saw him in the fire!" she cried.

"What?" Susan questioned in disbelief, rushing over to stare straight into the blazing fire as Edmund and Peter immediately followed. Lucy pointed at the fireplace desperately, hoping that this time they would see what she was seeing. Peter delicately squeezed his way between Susan and Edmund to get even closer to the fire. He pushed a firm but gentle hand against Lucy's arm to move her further back, away from the fire.

"Don't get so close, Lucy," he commanded as she obeyed, scooting back on her knees about a foot.

"I saw him, I know I did," she said. "There he is again! Didn't you see him, Peter?"

Peter squinted into the fire as Susan, Edmund, and Lucy all sat slightly further back, waiting for the word of the oldest to affirm that of the youngest. He watched the fire wrap itself around the logs and lick against the brick walls of the fireplace for a minute or two, but just as he was about to turn around to face the rest dejectedly, the fire flickered in a way it hadn't before, and he thought he did see something. He watched as the fire formed itself in the head of a lion, but not just any lion.

"It is Aslan," he said softly, still peering into the fire.

"What?" Susan slid up next to her brother to look into the fire too, still slightly doubtful. Edmund joined the two on the other side of Peter. "I don't see anything."

"Keep looking," Peter told her in a hushed voice. The three watched the fire for a moment more.

"I see him!" Edmund cried, pointing into the fire. "Did you see him, Su? He was right there!"

"I, I-" she stuttered, still squinting into the fire to try to see what the rest of her siblings were seeing. "Wait; I, I do see him! Aslan!" As soon as she had spoken his name, her face beaming, the firey face let out a roar and in an instant the fire had disappeared. All that remained were the burned logs and a cloud of smoke. The four children moved closer but no sooner had they done so then they felt themselves being sucked into the fireplace and up the chimney. Everything turned black and they seemed to be flying upward through an unknown abyss. "What's happening?"

"It's magic!" Lucy cried excitedly.

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Trumpkin tossed and turned in his elegant bed, unable to sleep. He had never quite gotten used to the fluffy mattress of his bed in the palace. As one of the advisors to the king, he had moved into the castle as soon as Caspian had been made king of Narnia. Of course, the fluffiness of the mattress wasn't the only thing that had been keeping him up month after month. The war preyed upon his mind mercilessly, as it seemed to do to everyone lately. Things were worse than ever. The armies were losing men and morale rapidly. All he could do was hope that the kings and queens of old would answer the call of Queen Susan's horn soon. Suddenly he heard a loud noise from within his very room, near the fireplace. He stood up and pulled his sword down off of one of the bedposts he had had it hanging around and drew the curtains away from his bed, pointing the sword at the four Pevensie children lying flat on their backs on the ground before him.

"Stay where you are!" he shouted, but then gasped almost immediately, realizing the mistake he had made. "Bedknobs and broomsticks, it's you." He sheathed his sword quickly and hopped down from his bed to kneel before the four. "Your majesties."

"Trumpkin!" Lucy cried happily, rushing to the red-bearded dwarf to embrace him.

"Queen Lucy," he said softly, wrapping his arms around her. "My dear little friend." When they pulled away he looked into her face gently. "We have been eagerly awaiting your return."

"Why?" Susan asked as Trumpkin lifted his head to look at the other three.

"War, your highness," he replied. "Since your departure war has fallen upon Narnia once again, this time from the country of Ronstadt. Hope is dwindling rapidly; we had to do something."

"Like call us back," she filled in the blanks as he nodded.

"So you called us back?" Edmund questioned.

"Well, not exactly," Trumpkin said sheepishly, eyes falling on the floor.

"Then who did, Trumpkin?" Peter asked as the dwarf lifted his head. He could not deny the High King the truth.

"King Caspian blew Queen Susan's horn upon my request. The country is in great peril, my king; we had to have help."

"Caspian?" Susan breathed, drawing back slightly. "Trumpkin, how many years have passed in Narnia since we left?"

"Five."

"Five," she repeated to herself in a whisper, trying to picture Caspian now as a twenty-two-year-old instead of the seventeen-year-old boy she had known only months ago. Peter and Edmund eyed her quizically and then looked at each, understanding.

"It's only been three months for us," Edmund said to Trumpkin. "You've got a lot to catch us up on if you want us to be able to help."

"Everything will be explained shortly," Trumpkin promised with a nod. "Right now I'd better go inform the king of your arrival. Come with me, your majesties."

The children followed Trumpkin out of the room and down the hall, Susan bringing up the rear. She was so unsure of what he would do or say or think when he saw her. Would he still love her? Would he be angry with her for leaving? Or would he simply feel nothing at all; would he just look at her like he looked at everyone else without feeling a single thing? She didn't think she could bear to see him again even though her heart cried for the vision of him so badly that she could barely contain herself. Instead she walked behind her sister and brothers and Trumpkin shakily, scared to the very core of her soul.

_Please let him still love me_.


	5. Reunited

I NEED REVIEWS!! So if you're reading this story, it'd be great and completely awesome to know your thoughts thus far. Just letting me know you like it is awesome and keeps me pumped up and motivated to write; also, authors always need constructive criticism, so if that's what you want to give that's cool too, just try not totally flame me, okay? LOL. Anyway, PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW!! Also, yes, I do realize this chappie is a bit short. It's somewhat of a filler, but I couldn't continue on to the next one yet since it's a bit longer. I would still love reviews on it though! Notes!

jack kelly's cowgirl: I'm writing this one as if Aslan had never told Peter and Susan that they wouldn't return, so this returning for them is only as shocking as it is for Lucy and Edmund as well, if you get me. This is a "what if" situation, not necessarily a continuation.

Andy: I have written Trumpkin a little softer than his original persona, but and I'm working on that. However, I feel, as far as the movie is concerned which is what I'm going off of, that he has somewhat of a soft spot for Lucy, which brings out his softer attitude. But yes, I do realize he is a bit softer. I'm working on it. As far as Phil reading, that would be awesome! The more the merrier! I would love to hear his feedback as well, so, yes, encourage him to review as well! Also, I try to post weekly, so I'd check every week or week and a half or some. Sometimes I get slower, and that might happen more now that I've got college and other schoolwork that will load me down, but I will definitely try to update regularly. :)

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**Chapter 5**

"King Caspian!" Trumpkin shouted, bursting into the throne room anxiously. Caspian looked up from the piece of paper he was reading instantly as the small dwarf rushed up to his throne, three of the four Pevensies trailing him. He knelt at the throne reverently. "The kings and queens of old have returned."

Caspian glanced confusedly over Peter, Edmund, and Lucy standing before him, obviously searching for Susan. His eyes found her standing in the distant doorway and grew ten times wider as he stood, walking past the kneeling dwarf and other royalty, and walked slowly to meet her. As he began walking toward her she suddenly became conscious of her bare feet and nightgown, since none of the children had been able to change into Narnian clothes and the last place they had been before entering Narnia was sitting in front of the fireplace before bed on Christmas Eve. None of them had on anything else except pajamas. She cupped her unkempt hair back behind her ears nervously and began to walk toward him as well until they met in the center of the room, fiddling with her nightgown and hair the entire way in an attempt to make herself look more presentable. He hadn't changed much since the last time she had seen him; he still had long brown hair and deep, piercing brown eyes. Those features combined with his olive-colored skin made her want to melt right then and there. The only change over the years that she could see was his height and his physique – he was taller and more muscular. He took her breath away. They stood in silence in the middle of the room for a few minutes, mere inches away from each other, neither one knowing what to say.

"Y-you have returned," Caspian said finally, his accent making Susan want to fall into his arms that very second.

"You called me," she responded with a nervous grin. "I'm sorry I don't look more presentable; we didn't have any time to change before-" He placed his hand on her lips tenderly to stop her from speaking, even though the sound of her voice once again after so long was the only thing in the entire world he wanted to hear.

"You shouldn't say such things," he said softly, leaning in closer to her. "Right now, nothing in my world or yours could look any more beautiful to me than you do."

"Oh, Caspian," she breathed, tears forming in her eyes. She allowed one to slip down her cheek when she closed them for a moment. "I-it's been so long, and even longer for you. I can't believe you waited for me all this time."

"There will never be another like you, Susan; you captured my heart from the moment I set eyes on you. I could never love anyone else." He took her right hand in his delicately.

"Oh, Caspian," she repeated, tears now flowing down her face. "I missed you so much. Life is so unbearable without you." With that she flung herself into his arms, wrapping hers around his waist tightly as if somehow he would disappear if she let go. She cried into his chest as he held her equally as tight to him, a few tears escaping his own eyes. When she finally pulled away slightly, arms still halfway around his waist, she lifted her head to look up into his eyes – so full of love her heart could break. He bent his neck then and brought his lips to hers, kissing her sweetly, gently, lovingly.


	6. Edmund's Plan

I will repeat - REVIEWS!! PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW!! If you're following, reading, and liking the story, please drop me a line to boost my morale. Also, if you've got a critique, don't hesitate to send it in as a review too. I need feedback. Just please don't flame me, all right? I know I said this last time around, but I'm getting very little reviews for the number of hits I'm receiving and it's very frustrating, so, please. One little review wouldn't hurt, would it? LOL. Note!

jack kelly's cowgirl: I refuse to reveal when Aslan will appear. You'll just have to keep reading. LOL.

* * *

**Chapter 6  
**

"Ronstadt never attacked during our reign or ever before that I can remember; this just doesn't make any sense," Peter said to the group sitting around the round table in the palace kitchen. The four Pevensies, Caspian, Trumpkin, and Trufflehunter sat around the table, cups of steaming tea in their hands, warming their faces. Trufflehunter had taken the children to change into some proper clothing which felt so freeing after a semester of stuffy school uniforms. They were so glad to be back.

"We could barely believe it ourselves," Trufflehunter agreed.

"King Midas is a greedy man who saw a young king as an opportunity to overthrow the kingdom and take control," Caspian said bitterly, clenching a fist. Susan placed her hand on his arm to calm him. He took one look at her tender, nurturing face and couldn't help smiling, his nerves settling. To Caspian the country being attacked on the grounds that King Midas thought he was too weak or too ignorant to put up a fight was a matter of pride, one he had a hard time admitting to in front of Peter. Susan understood, but was determined to keep the boys friends this time around.

"Well, he was wrong," Peter said, looking straight into Caspian's eyes confidently. "We just need a solid plan to get back on our feet."

"And I think I've got the answer," Edmund piped up as all heads turned to look at him questioningly and anxiously. "We attack the castle itself."

"How are we supposed to that, Ed? We'd be slaughtered," Peter sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Well, it'll take all of our troops divided into two squads, but I think it could work. Half of the army will attack their main camp – merciless fighting. As they call for reinforcments that will drag more and more of Ronstadt's army to their aid and away from their other positions. The rest of the army will surround King Midas's castle when the last regiment of soldiers are left guarding the castle, then we'll be able to easily fight them off and make our way into the castle, forcing Midas to surrender," Edmund explained. All was silent for a matter of minutes.

"I don't know, Ed; it's a long shot," Peter admitted.

"But it could work," Caspian said thoughtfully as Peter turned to look at him.

"You have to be willing to risk the country, Caspian. If we lose this fight we may never recover; it's all or nothing."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take," Caspian said finally but decisively, raising his head to look into Peter's eyes triumphantly. Peter nodded.

"So am I."

"If your majesties are willing to risk Narnia for this plan, then so am I," Trufflehunter said, bowing his head in submission. "King Edmund is wise beyond his years; I trust him fully." Edmund smiled and nodded in recognition of the badger's loyalty.

"I guess that means I'll have to risk my life too," Trumpkin sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, Trumpkin," Lucy giggled as everyone laughed for a moment, then everything grew silent as the grave.

"Who will we send to deliver the plans to the How?" Caspian asked solemnly as everyone began glancing around the room.

"I'll go," Peter decided. "One of us going will be proof to our army at the How that we truly have returned."

"No, Peter." Edmund shook his head. "You're the High King; I'll go."

"Not this time, Ed," Peter said, shaking his head also and staring deep into his younger brother's eyes. His younger brother who had been content with calling his brother "High King" when he only bore the title of "King." His younger brother who had always been there to back him up and even put his life on the line for him. Not this time, though, this time Peter had to do it himself.

* * *

Peter rode through the forest as fast as he possibly could, a scroll of battle plans tied to his belt. He wore a thick sheet of Narnian armor, but attacking Ronstadt soldiers weren't the problem this time. Glancing over his shoulder, he didn't see the tree branch jutting out straight in front of him, just level with his head. Turning around, his head collided instantly with the tree branch and he fell to the ground, knocked out cold, his poor horse continuing on without him.

"What was that?" A voice from inside the tree drifted softly into the forest, followed by the owner herself. She had long, flowing red hair and was dressed only in a thin green dress of ivy leaves. Her bare feet crunched a few stray leaves underneath them as she made her way to the fallen soldier. At her heels, a red-tailed fox followed close behind. "Oh, Red!" Ivy fell to her knees, her brow revealing her obvious concern. "He's got a horrible cut on his head; we-we've got to get him inside." She looked over at the fox now standing beside her.

"What do you mean 'we'?" he asked with a slight grin as they both looked down at his stick-thin legs and paws.

"W-well, go get Fern and Lawna," Ivy commanded. He nodded and rushed back into the tree through a small opening in its trunk, almost like an opening into a cave. When he returned two fauns were with him, all three rushing to Ivy's side.

"Oh, no," one gasped, drawing back slightly for a moment.

"Oh, Ivy, he's hurt bad," the other added.

"It's nothing that my watermelon won't cure; now, come on, let's get him inside the tree," she said as the fauns bent to help her pick Peter off the ground, then the three carried him into the tree to tend to his wounds.


	7. The Family in the Tree

Well, here we go, chappie 7. REVIEWS, PEOPLE!! LEAVE STINKIN' REVIEWS!! LOL. Anyway, I've got some notes!

jack kelly's cowgirl: Just read. LOL.

Kaiza-kun2007: Thaaaaaank you, Onii-san. LOL.

Thaena: Yes, I do have an outline and plans and the like. Thanks for the advice. I do try to catch my type-os, but everyone has a few, right? I hope I don't have so many that it distracts from the plot and flow of the story, though. That would be bad. LOL.

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Peter's eyes fluttered open and moved around slowly in his head as he took in his new surroundings. The last thing he remembered was falling off of his horse onto the forest floor, then everything had gone black. However, the setting he now found himself in was quite different. He was lying on a nice, soft bed; that one thing was certain at least. Other than that he wasn't sure of anything. He knew there was a flood of light pouring into the room through a pane-less window, which looked like it had been carved out of the very wall, near a wooden door. This certainly was no house; in fact, it felt more like he was underground than anything else. He could see a cauldron resting on a roaring fire inside a small fireplace, in front of which rested a small table with three chairs placed around it. A small rug, frayed at the ends, lay on the floor at his bedside. A few tree branches jutted out of the ceiling like stalactites. Where in the world was he? It was only then that he noticed two small fauns standing around the cauldron, stirring its contents and talking in hushed voices.

"When do you think he'll wake up?" one was asking the other.

"I don't know. How long do you think he's been out?" the other responded as the first shrugged.

"I don't know, a few hours at least."

"It's a nasty cut he's got on his head."

At these words, Peter reached up to touch his head and found his head bandaged. No wonder it hurt so badly; in fact, moving at all made every muscle in his body ache terribly.

"He's quite a find though," the first faun giggled as the other joined in softly.

"I haven't seen one like him in a long time," she agreed.

"I bet he looks even more handsome with his eyes open," the first laughed. They continued to laugh for another minute and then the second faun began to hush the first.

"What is it?"

"We don't want to wake him; besides, Ivy told us to finish this broth for when he does wake up," the second instructed. Peter moved slightly in the bed to get into a more comfortable position, causing the girls to whip their heads around toward him and rush over to his bedside.

"Oh, you're awake," one of them said. Both girls couldn't have been more than fifteen years old. They had brown, shoulder-length hair and matching eyes that sparkled with a giddy excitement as they looked at him anxiously.

"Wh-where am I?" Peter asked, closing his eyes tight in pain. Even simply talking hurt his head.

"You're in our home – safe."

"Wh-who are you?" he asked with the same amount of pain as before.

"My name is Fern," the faun on the left said with a nod, placing her palm gently to her chest.

"And my name is Lawna," the other said, repeating Fern's exact actions. "We're sisters." Peter smirked.

"Twins?" he guessed. The girls looked at each other for a moment and then turned back to him, beaming.

"How did you know?" they said in unison. He allowed himself one small, weak chuckle, then grimaced in utter agony.

"Oh, don't do that," Fern said conernedly, bending over him.

"I'm afraid you hit your head extremely hard on our tree branch outside. It must have knocked you off your horse and caused you to lose consciousness. You have a nasty cut across your head," Lawna explained.

"Ivy and Red found you lying outside the tree and got us to help bring you inside," Fern added.

"You've been out for a few hours," Lawna finished.

"Who are Ivy and Red?" Peter questioned, confused.

"Oh, well, they should be back soon," Fern said.

"You can meet them then; right now you just need to rest," Lawna instructed.

"By the way, what is your name?" Fern asked.

"P-Peter," he stammered, his head falling back onto the soft pillow as he shut his eyes, utterly exhausted.

* * *

"Ivy, he's awake!" Fern cried from Peter's bedside, whipping her head around to look at the tall, red-headed figure standing over the cauldron with her back to the bed. Obviously, he hadn't been asleep long, even though the light outside was dimming according to the window. Fern was seated on the floor beside him, watching his every move. Even being used to this sort of undivided attention as a king, he felt slightly uncomfortable. Lawna, however, was standing beside the bubbling cauldron next to the one they called Ivy. A red-tailed fox stood at Ivy's feet.

Upon Fern's words, Ivy turned around, a bright smile upon her pretty face. Peter was taken aback, his eyes growing slightly wider for a moment. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his entire life. She had long legs and gorgeous red hair that fell to her waist in thick, luscious waves. They cupped her face gently and moved with her body as she made her way over to him. Her smile seemed to light up the room as well as her shining green eyes which matched her small, leafy dress.

"Oh, good," she said sweetly, making her way to the bed and bending over it. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty terrible," Peter admitted with a small smile. She returned his weak one with a bright, strong one of her own and short giggle.

"Well, we'll soon fix that. Lawna!" She sat down on the edge of the bed and turned as the other faun joined her sister, walking over with a bowl of pink-colored fruit. She handed it to Ivy and then sat down beside Fern. "Now, eat this." Ivy picked a piece of fruit out of the bowl and held it between her pointer finger and thumb before Peter's face. He looked at it skeptically. "You'll feel much better." He sighed reluctantly, took the fruit from her hand, and took a tiny bite.

"What is it?" he asked after finished the entire piece and taking another.

"Well, what does it taste like?" she retorted.

"It takes like…watermelon," he said.

"Well, that's what it is: watermelon," she chuckled good-naturedly.

"How is this supposed to help me get better?"

"Just eat it, silly. It can't hurt, can it?" she argued as he shrugged and took the bowl from her arms. She laughed. "It really will help more than you think, though; trust me." She pushed herself up off the bed then and returned to the cauldron on the fire. Suddenly a large bluebird flew through the window, landing on the back of one of the chairs around the table as a large squirrel raced through after him, sitting down in the center of the table. Just as Peter took all of this in the wood door opened slowly as a beautiful young doe made her way into the room. Once in, she turned around and nudged the door shut again with her head.

"Is he awake yet, Ivy?" the bird asked as Ivy nodded. All three heads turned to look at him. The bird then flew over, hovering over the gash in his. "He's got a nasty cut." He shook his head sadly.

"It'll take a while to heal," the fox said, speaking for the first time. The bird nodded his head and flew back over to the chair.

"So, you're Ivy?" Peter asked, looking at Ivy as she nodded, turning to him from across the room as she began to stir the contents of the cauldron.

"Indeed I am."

"Wh-where I am?'

"You're in my home – a big tree in the middle of the forest about halfway between Aslan's How and King Caspian's Palace," she replied. He blinked. Twice.

"I-I'm in a tree?" he asked, stunned.

"Well, of course you are. Where did you think you were?" she laughed as everyone else joined in.

"Not in a tree, that's for sure," he muttered as she continued to laugh.

"Well, Fern and Lawna tell me that you've already met so there's no need to introduce them, but I don't believe you've met the rest of the family," Ivy continued happily. "This is Twitter." She pointed to the bluebird with her spoon. "And this is Pattertwig." She pointed to the squirrel. "This is Topaz." She pointed to the young doe. "And this." She looked down at the fox with a soft, fond affection, one deeper than all the rest. "This is Red."

"Redwood to you," the fox snorted, eyeing Peter huffily.

"Oh, Red." Ivy rolled her eyes and returned to the cauldron. "Don't worry, he'll warm up to you. Fern and Lawna tell me your name is Peter, right?" She looked back up at the boy in her bed. He nodded. "Well, you have no need to fear, Peter; we're going to take good care of you until you recover. Speaking of which, how do you feel now?" He looked down at the empty bowl of watermelon and chuckled slightly.

"Better," he admitted as they all laughed.


	8. Twitter's Discovery

I don't see why no one wants to review my story. :( From the looks of it a have a decent number of people reading it, do it'd be nice to hear a word or two from those of you who are reading. I would really love to hear your thoughts. I know I've said this all before, but I'll keep on saying it until I get some feedback. I'm very persistent. LOL. So, READ AND REVIEW!!

* * *

**Chapter 8**

"What were you doing in the forest?" Ivy asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking at Peter inquisitively. She held a bowl of steaming broth in her hands and scooped it into her mouth every so often with a spoon. Peter was now propped up against the back of the bed with his own bowl of broth and ate it slowly. He eyed the redhead cautiously for a moment. Could he trust her?

"I was on my way to Aslan's How to deliver battle plans," he replied finally.

"You're not the first to cross our path delivering battle plans," she said with an understanding nod. "But I'm afraid you won't be delivering them any time soon, not with that injury."

"These plans must be delivered as soon as possible," he said determinedly. "And I am the one who must deliver them."

"Not with that injury," Ivy repeated, shaking her head. "But you're right, they must reach the How as soon as possible. Tonight." She looked around the room as Pattertwig scurried to her side.

"I'll go, Ivy," he said.

"No." She shook her head again. "You've done your duty, Pattertwig, and done it well." She smiled tenderly upon the little squirrel. "Twitter!" The bluebird sailed immediately to her side, landing on her left shoulder. "Get the plans to the How as fast as you can." He nodded and flew over to the nightstand beside the bed where Ivy had placed Peter's scroll of parchment which held the battle plans, snatching it up in his claws.

"I will return shortly," he promised.

"Be sure you do," Ivy said, concern now seeping into her commanding tone as she looked upon the bird tenderly. He nodded once again and flew across the room and out the window, disappearing into the night.

"Thank you," Peter said genuinely. Ivy smiled and continued eating her soup. It now occurred to him that none of them knew who he was. They had no idea that he was the High King of Narnia; however, the name "Pattertwig" did ring a bell. He slightly remembered Caspian mentioning a courageous squirrel from his last visit, but obviously Pattertwig had no idea who he was. Normally he would reveal himself to them, but, for some reason, he didn't want to. He liked the casual conversation that he knew wouldn't stay if they knew who he truly was. No, he wouldn't tell them who he was. Not yet.

* * *

"Battle plans from the palace!" Twitter cried, flying into the How at top speed, landing on the cracked Stone Table and setting the scroll down in front of a large mouse. He bent his head in a small bow and then proceeded to catch his breath as the mouse unrolled the scroll with the help of a few other mice. He stood on the scroll, as four other mice held down the corners, and read it, moving as he read. He gasped slightly and looked up at Twitter, astonished.

"The kings and queens of old have returned?" he questioned.

"What?" Twitter was completely confused.

"These battle plans are written in the hand of King Edmund himself and approved by not only him and King Caspian, but by Queen Susan, Queen Lucy, and the High King Peter," he replied. "Who told you to deliver these plans, Twitter?" His eyes were fixed unmovingly upon the poor bird.

"Ivy and Redwood found a soldier knocked out cold in front of our tree with these plans attached to his belt. We took him in and are nursing him back to health; Ivy asked me to deliver the plans in his stead since he is too weak to deliver them himself," Twitter explained nervously.

"A soldier? What did he look like?" the mouse inquired.

"Well, he had blonde hair and blue eyes." Twitter was racking his small brain trying to remember exactly what to young man looked like, but this was enough detail for the mouse. He drew back slightly with another gasp.

"High King Peter," he breathed.

"What?" Twitter pulled back in shock, hovering slightly in the air about an inch from the top of the Stone Table. "Do you mean to say, Reepicheep, that the young man we have inside our tree at this very moment is the High King Peter himself?"

"That's exactly what I mean to say, Twitter," Reepicheep nodded firmly. "Guard him with your life."

* * *

Fern and Lawna had a small room attached to the main room which only really had room enough for one large bed and a small nightstand between the two of them. At the foot of the bed was another rug like the one at the foot of Ivy's bed for Topaz. Pattertwig and Twitter each had their own nests in two separate branches that jutted out of the ceiling. Ivy normally slept in the bed Peter was now sleeping in, Redwood curled up at her side upon his rug on the floor. Tonight, however, Ivy squeezed herself into Fern and Lawna's bed and Redwood curled up upon the bed at her feet, surrendering the main room to Peter and Pattertwig, since Twitter hadn't returned yet. However, Ivy couldn't sleep, not with Twitter still gone. Once everyone else was asleep she slid out of bed and made her way into the main room where Peter slept snug in her bed, the sheets pulled up right below his chin. She smiled and sat down on the bed carefully so as not to wake him, a small fire in the fireplace lighting her path.

She stared at his peaceful face gently, lovingly, watching the fire cast shadows upon it playfully. Then she gently lifted her hand and brushed back a few stands of his golden hair that had fallen over his eyelids. Suddenly she heard soft footsteps beside her and looked down to see Redwood by her side.

"What are you doing up?" he asked.

"I couldn't sleep with Twitter gone," she replied honestly, turning back to stare at Peter. She continued to brush back his hair tenderly. "He's so beautiful, isn't he, Red?" Her voice was nothing more than a dreamy whisper and as Redwood glanced from Ivy to the sleeping form of the king lying there in the bed, his heart broke. He smiled softly upon his dearest friend, realizing the situation. She was falling in love with him. But how long could it last?


	9. Don't Tell Her

All right, everyone, it's time for chappie 9. Enjoy! And please R&R! I can't stress that enough! I need to know if this story is worth continuing, because right now I'm just not getting enough reviews to know whether or not everyone is liking it enough for me to continue. Yes, I like being told I'm awesome sometimes. LOL. I'm sure you do too. :) Note!

jack kelly's cowgirl: Don't worry, it's coming soon enough. LOL.

* * *

**Chapter 9**

When Twitter returned, Ivy went straight to bed, too tired to stay up any longer. She ignored Twitter's insistant chirping that he had something very important to tell her and, with a nonchalant wave of her hand, told him to simply tell her in the morning, when she'd be more awake anyway. The next morning she rose early, before the rest of the household had gotten up, and went to cut some more watermelon from the nearby garden. When the rest of the house woke up Peter was still asleep and Ivy was gone.

"I need to tell everyone something – something very important," Twitter said. Topaz, who was only inside the tree to sleep, had just made her way to the door to walk outside and have breakfast, but stopped short as she saw the anxious expression on the bluebird's face.

"What is it, Twitter?" she questioned. Pattertwig looked up from his nest and Redwood from the chair he was curled up on. Fern and Lawna lifted their eyes questioningly from the cauldron they had been stirring.

"Well, I delivered the plans to Reepicheep at the How last night-" he started.

"This we already know," Redwood said, slightly annoyed, waiting for the bird to get to the point.

"Well, he told me who that really is sleeping in Ivy's bed." Twitter pointed to Peter's sleeping form with his wing as everyone turned to glance at him, still confused.

"What are you talking about, Twitter?" Fern asked. "His name is Peter."

"High King Peter," Twitter said, filling in the blanks. The two twin fauns gasped and drew back slightly; Topaz nearly lost her footing, and Pattertwig and Redwood simply stared at him in disbelief.

"Surely you can't be serious," Pattertwig said finally.

"I hardly believed Reepicheep either when he first told me, but it's true. Those plans were written by King Edmund himself. Who else would the kings and queens of old, not to mention King Caspian, trust to deliver them but one of their own?" Twitter explained as everyone stared at him, hardly daring to breathe.

"You mean that young man lying right there across the room is the High King Peter himself?" Lawna gulped.

"That's exactly what I mean," Twitter nodded firmly.

"Don't tell Ivy," Redwood said softly after a moment of stunned silence. He was staring into space, not looking any one of the others in the face directly.

"What?" the bird questioned confusedly.

"Don't tell Ivy," the fox repeated, turning to look him sternly in the eye.

"Why not?" Pattertwig asked, shrugging. The fauns looked at him quizzically as well.

"Just don't tell her," he said. "In fact, I don't want anyone acting any differently around him than we did before we knew who he really was. He obviously doesn't want us to know or else he would have told us when we found him." Redwood eyed each one in the room in turn, staring them down until they had consented wordlessly to his command.

_Even though there's no way anything can come of it and I should probably be ending it right now before it has a chance to grow…still, she needs a chance, she deserves a chance, to love him and have him love her return, just for a moment._

* * *

"So how does a beautiful girl like you wind up living with two fauns, a squirrel, a fox, a deer, and a bluebird?" Peter asked Ivy as she colored slightly and chuckled at the question. She was seated on the edge of his bed again, a bowl of watermelon slices between them. She popped a piece in her mouth and continued laughing before she answered.

"Well, I couldn't tell you how I came to be here; I really can't remember. The first thing I remember from my childhood is Red," she said, glancing over at the fox curled up on one of the chairs at the table. He looked up for a moment and squinted angrily at her for a moment, but she only laughed all the harder until he rested his head back down on his two front paws and closed his eyes again.

"Where are your parents?" Peter questioned. She shrugged.

"I don't know," she replied, her voice dropping a decible. It wasn't a sad tone she had just used, only a softer one, as if she rarely entertained the idea of her parents at all, and when she did it made her think.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, reaching his hand out to touch hers comfortingly. She looked down at his hand on hers, the touch feeling electric, then looked back up at him tenderly.

"It's all right; I don't think about them much; I've always lived on my own," she said as he looked upon her sadly. "W-well, anyway, I've always lived right here in this tree for as long as I can remember. I remember stepping out my front door one day about twelve years ago and hearing squealing. There was a mama fox at my doorstep with her six little fox babies and I just couldn't resist taking them in right then and there. Red was the smallest of the litter and we instantly became the best of friends. We would play together all the time, and so when his mother and brothers and sisters decided to move out, she let Red stay with me." Ivy turned to the fox again who had taken up glaring at her again, but she just simply smiled at him until he nervously glanced at Peter then gave her a small, tender smile. He wasn't particularly pleased with her so freely telling Peter of their past and hated showing much emotion around anyone except Ivy occasionally, but he couldn't resist giving her a small smile to assure her that he loved her dearly.

"What about the others?" Peter broke the moment as she turned back to him. He could tell Redwood was tense and respected their relationship and his feelings enough to change the subject, or at least move the conversation along.

"Well, you've got to understand that we're all misfits and orphans of some kind," she chuckled. "Fern and Lawna joined us when their parents died of a mysterious illness. We were good friends with their family. Pattertwig turned up on our doorstep with a broken paw and never left after it healed, saying he had no home to return to. The same thing happened with Twitter, except it was a wing of course. Then we took in Topaz when her mother was killed by hunters. But we don't look back." She held her head up high as she spoke these words, determination written on her face. "We love our life right here; we've become a tight-knit family over the years; time has only strengthened our bond. There's no need for anyone to feel pity, no need at all." She looked into Peter's eyes as if searching his soul for any sign of pity.

"I could never pity you, Ivy," he said after a moment, leaning in closer to her face. "You're too strong to be pitied." She smiled then, and so did Redwood, watching intently with one eye open.


	10. Lucy's Great Faith

A short chappie, I know, but I didn't want anyone to think I'd forgotten about the rest of the Pevensies. LOL. Just a little peek into what's going on at the home front. In other news: I NEED REVIEWS!! PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU READ!! I want to know your thoughts! Don't just put me on story alert, let me know why you're putting me on story alert. LOL.

* * *

**Chapter 10**

"Peter should have been back by now," Susan said worriedly. It had been four days since Peter had left for Aslan's How and no one had heard anything about him since. Now she, Lucy, Edmund, and Caspian sat at the grand dining room table eating dinner, but she was having hard time eating.

"Maybe they needed him at the How longer than he anticipated," Edmund suggested. "I'm sure wherever he is, he's safe."

"How can you be so sure, Ed? What if he ran into Ronstadt soldiers on the way to the How? What if he's hurt, or, or d-dead?" Tears began to well up in hers eyes as Caspian reached his arm out and touched his hand to hers on the table comfortingly.

"Don't talk like that, Susan," he said as she gazed at him for assurance. "He's the High King of all Narnia; he can hold his own. Have you already forgotten how he defeated my uncle last time you were here?"

"I could never forget it," she said softly with a gentle smile.

"Now, cheer up," he said with an even bigger smile. "We're going to be positive." Susan sniffled and nodded, turning to her food.

"Caspian's right, Su; Peter's one of the best swordsmen in all of Narnia. If he did run into trouble, he can more than handle himself," Edmund assured her.

"He'll be all right, Susan," Lucy added with a nod.

"How can you be so sure all the time, Lucy?" Susan asked.

"Aslan has always protected us, and he always will," she said simply.

"You've seen Aslan, Lucy?" Caspian asked.

"Not since we've been here, no, but we all saw him in the fire when were called back to Narnia. He's the reason we're here; he's the reason the horn works; he's the reason that anything magical even happens at all. Even if I can't see him or hear him or touch his mane, I know he's here with us, and he always had been," she explained as they all simply stared at her in amazement. Lucy's faith in Aslan was such an incredible testimony they were left speechless.

* * *

"How do you know all that stuff, Lu?" Susan asked Lucy later that night, entering the bedroom they were sharing from the adjoining bathroom. She had changed into her nightgown and tied her robe tight about her as she approached her little sister who was already changed and staring out into the night sky from the window seat. The view was breathtaking – the rolling green hills of Narnia extending across the beautiful countryside until they finally grew towering trees, creating dark forests and woods.

"Know what?" Lucy asked, looking behind her at her older sister until she finally sat down beside her.

"All that stuff you were talking about at dinner, about Aslan," Susan elaborated.

"Well, I guess I don't really know anything; I, I just feel it, you know?" She turned to her sister momentarily with a questioning look and then gazed back out the window as she continued, Susan's eyes fixed upon her the entire time, trying to figure her out. "I feel him." Susan's eyes grew slightly bigger at this last statement, but she remained silent. "I feel him with us, Susan, even sometimes when we're back in England. He's protecting us, watching over us, keeping us safe. He's with us right now; I can feel him." Suddenly she turned and stared Susan straight in the eyes. "When you can feel something as powerful as Aslan's spirit with you then you know you have no need to fear and there's no room for doubt."

"I wish I could feel him like you can," Susan sighed after a silent pause, drawing her knees into her and wrapping her arms around him, resting her chin on her kneecaps. "I mean, I know he must be watching over us, and he must have called us back here, but, but I guess I'm just a doubtful person by nature. If it's material and can be legitimately proven then I have no problem believing it, but things that require a great deal of faith, believing in what you can't see, I struggle with. So the fact that you can feel him with us even now, even though we can't see him at all and it's obvious that he isn't here with us physically, it's really amazing to me." She smiled at her little sister then softly. "You're lucky, Lucy. Very lucky." Lucy simply smiled brightly back.


	11. The Waterfall

Well, here's a cute little chappie for you own entertainment. It makes me happy. LOL. The next chappie, however, will move things along considerably, so I wouldn't miss it if I were you. Of course, I wouldn't miss this chappie either though. LOL. Read and review!! Note!

jack kelly's cowgirl: There, I didn't plead that time. LOL. And yeah, I've never really been a Susan fan either, but I'm sorry if I'm making her a bit mopey. I don't mean to, sorry! She's always kinda seemed a little like that to me anyway though. And yes, I love Redwood too. LOL.

* * *

**Chapter 11**

"You're gonna get caught, Ivy," Redwood said to the beautiful redhead, his head turned away from her perfect form as she stripped herself of her small leafy dress and disappeared behind a sheet of water.

"Oh, Red, you worry too much; there's no way I can possibly get caught, not with you standing guard. My dress is right there; if anyone comes all I have to do is throw it on and attach myself to that tree over there," she said.

"Well, just hurry up," he sighed frustratingly. "I don't understand why you don't just wait until I rains like every other tree."

"Well, I'm not like every other tree, am I?" she retorted as he smirked to himself and shook his head.

"No, you're not," he agreed.

"Besides, I love the feel of the water from the waterfall running through my hair and down my body; I don't get that feeling as just a vine," she continued. Redwood shook his head again.

"You really want to be fully human, don't you?"

"More than anything," she replied.

"You know, Ivy, we can't keep Peter here forever; he's getting stronger by the day and pretty soon we're going to have to take him back to the palace," the fox said seriously.

"I know," he heard the tree sigh dejectedly.

"What is it?" Redwood asked concernedly.

"Nothing," she said softly. "It's just, I, I wish he didn't have to go back, that's all."

"You love him, don't you?" Redwood got right to the point.

"I'm a tree spirit and he's a human; it could never work; it wasn't ever meant to work. So how could I love him? Don't be silly, Red." Ivy gave an extremely fake laugh.

"You grow closer and closer everyday," Red continued, just hoping to bring Ivy to grips with her true, buried feelings. He wanted to hear her admit it, say it.

"So?" she responded quickly.

"Just an observation," he said nonchalantly. There came a period of silence.

"You see right through me, don't you, Red?" Ivy asked with a slight smile as Redwood smirked as well. "He's so beautiful, Red, and so kind and caring. I know I shouldn't; I mean, I have no right to, but, but I just can't help it." He could hear her voice faltering and knew small, silent tears were falling down her cheeks just as the water over her body.

"I didn't mean to make you cry, Ivy," he said gently. "I'm sorry."

"N-no, it's all right," she sniffled. "It's just that Peter is such a gentleman. I've always wondered what it was like to be in love, and now that I know I wish I could go back and return my feelings because I know I'll never be able to act on them. You're right, Red; he's getting better and we're going to have to let him go back to palace very soon." Suddenly a twig snapped and Redwood's ear twitched and then perked up, alert.

"Ivy!" he whispered urgently, just loud enough for her to hear through the roar of the waterfall. She knew his meaning immediately and stuck her hand out to grab the tiny green dress lying safely on a nearby rock, nice and dry. She threw it over her head and then jumped up into the air. There was a bright flash of light and her limbs were instantly tranformed into vines of ivy. She wrapped them around a nearby birch tree and the beautiful redheaded girl known as Ivy was no more. All the remained was a single vine of ivy wrapped around a birch tree, and a single red-tailed fox standing by the riverside.

* * *

"Where's Ivy?" Peter asked Fern and Lawna who were busy making the night's soup. They were both hovering over the black cauldron over the fire in the fireplace and jerked their heads up at the sound of his voice.

"Uh, she went out," Fern muttered nervously.

"Where?" he pried curiously.

"I don't know," she shrugged.

"She might have gone for a ride on Topaz; she likes to do that occasionally," Lawna suggested nonchalantly.

"Or she might have gone to the garden to cut more watermelon," Fern added.

"I think I'll go look for her," Peter said.

"B-but, are you sure?" Fern protested, simply wanting the boy to stay there because she loved staring at his handsome face. She felt sure he would never find Ivy at the waterfall; that wasn't what worried her. However, Lawna was worried about precisely that.

"What about your head?" Lawna asked. He chuckled.

"I'm perfectly well; you've done an excellent job taking care of me; don't worry, I'll be fine," he assured the two, and with that he stepped out of the little "house" before they could protest any further.

As he stepped out into the warm sunshine he suddenly saw Narnia in a way he never had before. The birds chirping in the trees, the sun shining through the trees scattering beautiful shadows all over the forest floor, it was magnificent. The greens of the leaves and grass seemed somehow greener; the sky seemed bluer; the clouds seemed brighter; nature felt more alive to him in that moment than it ever had before. He had been out of the tree many times before this. As he had grown progressively more healthy Ivy had taken him with her to cut watermelon and walk through the forest on several occasions, but there was something about today; he didn't know what it was, but as he took a whiff of the fresh air around him he felt envigorated, rejuvinated, and free. He strolled through the woods in search of Ivy, simply taking everything in. He searched the garden and found it empty so he decided to just continue on, going nowhere in particular.

Over the past few weeks he had developed feelings for the mysterious, spunky redhead. She was unlike any girl he had ever met. She didn't fawn over him, but she didn't ignore him either. She was genuinely interested in him, and not so much his past or the things he did, but just him. Sometimes he would fool her into thinking he was asleep and catch her staring at him and stroking his hair from time to time. He would lift one eyelid ever so carefully so as not to be discovered, and a slight smile would form on his lips. He hoped that she never caught him staring at her the same way. Whenever they would be out underneath the sun, whether cutting watermelon in the garden or walking through the forest, the sun would set her hair aglow, captivating him in a feeling he couldn't quite discribe. Sadly, he knew it couldn't last, so he tried to surpress it. He knew he must be returning to Caspian and his brother and sisters soon and, eventually, he knew he would probably be returning to England, once again. He couldn't afford to get mixed up in deep feelings for a girl he would probably never see again in a few days. Nevertheless, he had gone searching for her.

Coming out of the brush, he came upon a small waterfall and thought he could hear a woman's voice coming from behind the sheet of water. As he drew closer he was almost positive it was Ivy's. As he came fully into the clearing, however, it stopped, and all he could see was a fox standing by the water's edge.

"Redwood!" he called, waving.

"What are you doing here, Peter?" the fox asked quickly.

"I was just going for a walk, looking for Ivy," Peter said casually. "Is she with you?"

"Do you see her with me?" Redwood retorted.

"Well, no, but I thought she might be around here someplace," he suggested, rolling his eyes at the fox's constant hostile attitude toward him. Secretly it killed Redwood to act so rudely to the High King but he had to continue the act for Ivy; although, being extremely protective of the girl anyway, sometimes it wasn't very hard.

"I don't know where she is," he said plainly. "She probably went for a ride on Topaz."

"Well, thanks," Peter said, retreating back into the woods. As soon as he was safely back in the forest, Ivy detatched herself from the birch tree, her vines forming themselves into the shape of a young woman; there was a bright flash of light and she once again stood before Redwood, her beautiful red hair falling down her shoulders gently.

"Thanks, Red," she sighed with relief. He nodded.

_He came looking for me_, she thought to herself, unable to control a huge grin which spread across her face instantly at the thought.


	12. The Truth Revealed

Well, well, well. This next chappie should prove itself interesting. LOL. Enjoy, and don't forget to review!! I'd love to know what you're thinking of the story so far. Notes!

Gorgon: The summary, where I described Peter as falling in love with "the impossible" is more of an eye-catcher, attention-getter, interest-sparker kind of pull to get people to read the story than anything else. LOL. You gotta do what you gotta do as a writer to capture an audience. LOL. I know the idea of Peter falling in love with a tree spirit isn't impossible be any means, what I mean by that line is that since Peter comes from another world, if the Pevensies are called back again to their own world, what will he do? He'll have to choose between Narnia and his own world, if he's even given the choice in the first place. Besides, she's a tree spirit and he's a human. How will it work? That's what I mean to say by "the impossible." Hope that helps explain my stance on that line. It was something different even in the summary originally. I just recently changed it to, as I said before, try to get more readers and reviews. LOL. Hope you're enjoying the story, though!

Scarley: Don't worry about your grammar, I completely got what you were trying to say. I'm just so thrilled that you're reading and enjoying the story and that you took the time to review!

* * *

**Chapter 12**

"I guess we should be getting you back to the palace," Ivy sighed with a small smirk, looking Peter over the next morning. "How are you feeling?"

"Very well, your watermelon did the trick," Peter chuckled as she joined in.

"Well, Topaz is waiting outside to take us to the palace," she explained.

"Us?" He looked at her confused.

"Us?" Redwood looked up at her worriedly from his position at her feet.

"Us," she nodded, looking first at Peter and then at Redwood firmly with a decisive glance.

"Ivy-" Peter began. She lifted her hand to stop him before he could even begin.

"Not another word, Peter; I'm going with you to make sure you get there safely," she said.

"Ivy-" Redwood started.

"Red." She looked down at him and gave him a glare.

"Ivy," he said more softly.

"I'll be all right, Red; I promise," she said, her voice softening as well. "But I've made up my mind." She lifted her head to look back into Peter's beautiful, enchanting blue eyes. "I can't have taken care of you this long to not even make sure you make it back safely to the palace."

"It's not my safety that I'm worried about," Peter said, reaching his hand out to hold hers in his. He looked deep into her eyes concernedly. She nearly melted right then and there.

"D-don't worry about me, I'll be fine," she said, shaking her head slightly to snap herself out of the daydream she was rapidly about to fall into. "I know these woods; besides, the soldiers of Ronstadt aren't looking for girls in green dresses, they're looking for Narnian soldiers. You're in much more danger than I am."

"There's nothing I can do to convince you to stay, is there?" Peter asked with a soft grin. She shook her head and giggled.

"Come on, before the soldiers of Ronstadt begin their circuits through the forest," she said, taking a hold of the hand he already had wrapped around hers and dragging him out the door.

"Twitter," Redwood called softly once the two were out the door. The bluebird, who was sitting on a branch just outside the tree, flew inside and hovered just above Redwood's head.

"Yes, Red?"

"Follow Ivy, Peter, and Topaz to the palace, but don't let them see you. I promised Ivy I wouldn't come with them; it's the way she wanted it, but I must make sure she makes it there and back safely," Redwood instructed. Twitter nodded with a slight smile.

"Sure thing, Red," he nodded, and flew out the window.

* * *

"Your majesties!" A guard rushed into the throne room and knelt quickly before Caspian, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. They nodded in recognition of the guard and he rose.

"What is it, Vardan? Is there trouble?" Caspian asked urgerntly.

"I'm not sure; there are two persons approaching the castle, on a deer if I'm not mistaken," Vardan reported. The four kings and queens exchanged queer glances and then rushed out of the room after Vardan. When they reached the palace gate Ivy, Peter, and Topaz were sitting on the opposite side of the moat waiting for the guards to lower the bridge. "State your name and business!" Before Peter could reply, however, Lucy recognized him.

"It's Peter!" she shouted joyfully. "Hurry, lower the bridge!"

"It is Peter!" Edmund agreed after squinting to get a better look at the young man on the deer. This was all the assurance Vardan needed. He immediately began lowering the bridge and raising the gate.

"Peter!" Susan cried happily. Caspian smiled and rubbed her back gently as they waited for the bridge to finally land on the other side and then watched as the deer raced across it into the courtyard.

"Peter!" Lucy ran into her brother's arms; the moment he dismounted he could feel her arms wrapped around his waist. He laughed and held her tight to him. Then Susan, Edmund, and Caspian were there, Susan embracing him as well and Edmund slapping him on the back jovially. Caspian simply smiled and, as soon as Peter made eye contact with him, nodded. Peter returned it with one of his own.

"Oh, Peter, where have you been?" Susan asked with relief, but just a hint of worry too.

"Yeah, it can't take two weeks to deliver the plans to the How," Edmund joked.

"Well, I was detained," he said. Susan and Lucy pulled away from him then so they could look into his face. Caspian and Edmund also looked at him concernedly. Peter smiled. "It's not what you're thinking. As I was riding I rode right into a tree branch and it knocked me out. My horse just kept right on going. Next thing I knew I was inside a tree with bandages wrapped around my head." He turned to Ivy who had dismounted Topaz as well and was simply watching the scene, her mind beginning to make a few connections at this point. "This is Ivy; she and her family took me in and nursed me back to health. I owe everything to her, actually, even the deliverance of the plans to the How. She has taken excellent care of me."

All Ivy could do was simply smile at the five faces staring back at her. She was beginning to understand who Peter truly was after seeing Susan, Edmund, and Lucy and was having a hard time processing the information and the fact that she had been housing the High King of Narnia in her home for two weeks. She's couldn't believe it. She simply couldn't believe it. Before she could speak, however, Caspian recognized her.

"Ivy?" he said, staring at the girl. She moved her eyes from the four kings and queens of old to Caspian.

"Yes, my king?" she asked, snapping herself out of it for the second time that day and bowing before him.

"Ivy!" he cried, realization finally sinking in. Susan looked from Caspian to Ivy questioningly and a bit skeptically as the other three Pevensies simply stared in confusion. Caspian moved from the back of the group to stand in front of her, placing his hands on the tree's shoulders. "Ivy, I am so glad to see you again; I never had an opportunity to properly thank you last time." She smiled weakly.

"I need no thanks, your majesty; as I said before, I was only doing my duty," she said with a nod.

"Caspian?" Susan questioned as he turned back to her.

"Oh, I'm sorry; you do not know. Ivy truly is an incredible tree spirit; she has not only saved one king, but two. I also owe her my life; before I called you to Narnia she saved my life as well. I was being attacked by Ronstadt soldiers and she came to my aid," he explained. Little did he know what he had said. Upon the word "king," all of Ivy's assumptions were confirmed, but somehow hearing it made it even more unbelievable. She was staring at Peter, eyes wide, heart beating faster than it ever had before in her life. She was in utter shock. However, she wasn't the only one. Upon the words "tree spirit," Peter had done a double take. He was completely confused and staring at Ivy in disbelief.

"Y-you're a king?" Ivy finally stammered, taking a few steps back.

"You're a tree?" he returned.

"Tree spirit actually," she corrected. "A-and I'm hardly that; I'm a vine of ivy actually, hence my name."

"Well, if you're going to be technical about it, I'm High King – High King Peter the Magnificent," he introduced himself formally.

"W-why didn't you tell me?" she breathed, still stunned.

"I don't know," he responded honestly, searching his mind for some reason to give her. "There didn't seem to be a need to. Why didn't you tell me you were a tree spirit?"

"For the same reason you didn't tell me you were High King of Narnia," she responded. "I don't flaunt the fact that I'm a tree spirit normally though; I only revealed my true form to King Caspian because it was the only way to save him from the soldiers of Ronstadt. I had to choke them to death with my vines."

"Are you ashamed of your true form?" Peter questioned, trying to understand her.

"No, I'm not ashamed; I only wish I could be fully human, so I choose to remain in my human form a majority of the time unless the need arises for me to be otherwise," she said. Peter nodded in understanding. Susan, Edmund, Lucy, and Caspian had been watching this dialouge awkwardly, but now Caspian stepped back in.

"Ivy, I insist that you remain in the palace with us now that you have risked your life to make the trip here; it is not safe for you to be riding in the woods alone," he said.

"No thank you, just the same, my liege, I really must be returning home; my family is awaiting my arrival and will be extremely worried if I am not back soon," she said, bowing slightly.

"I insist; it's the least I can do to thank you for not only saving my life, but for saving Peter's life as well," Caspian urged. Ivy looked at Peter unsurely and finally turned away.

"No, I really must be going; I know my way around the woods; after all, I am a tree. If there is any threat I can simply change into a vine, attach myself to a tree, and blend in. However, I doubt that will be necessary; after all, the soliders of Ronstadt aren't looking for girls in green dress, they're looking for Narnian soldiers," she said, repeating the words she had said to Peter earlier.

"Ivy-" Caspian began.

"I am truly honored that you would even suggest such a thing as staying in your lovely castle, but, truly, I must be going," she insisted, mounting Topaz, who had remained silent the entire time, simply taking in the conversation around her.

"Bless you, Ivy," Caspian said, bowing his head slightly to her. She was taken aback.

"You as well, my king," she said finally, bowing in return. "I pray Aslan's blessings on all the kings and queens of Narnia, and on Narnia herself." With that she kicked Topaz and the doe took off. However, before she was quite to the bridge a small voice stopped her and she slowed Topaz with a nudge from her feet.

"Thank you for saving Peter's life and returning him to us, Ivy," Lucy said, following Caspian's actions and bowing her head to the tree as well.

"Yes, Ivy, thank you," Susan spoke up, wrapping an arm around Lucy's shoulder.

"Aslan's blessings upon you, Ivy," Edmund added, placing a hand on Susan's shoulder. Ivy looked back at them and smiled softly, nodding.

"For Narnia, and for Aslan," she said softly. "Let's go, Topaz." With that the two were across the bridge and into the woods in the blink of an eye. Peter stared after her for a long time, his brain still trying to process all that had happened.


	13. Back at the Tree

Hey everyone! Thanks for finally reviewing. LOL. It's nice to know there are some people out there who are enjoying this story. Keep 'em coming! Anyway, this is a pretty short chappie one Ivy's feelings after discovering Peter's true nature. Next chappie we'll skip to take a look at how Peter's dealing, and then we'll get back into the plot. Sorry if it seems slow. Notes!

jack kelly's cowgirl: No, no, no, I'm not offended at all. LOL. I'm glad you asked. This is the gist of it: Ivy was beginning to put the pieces together and just couldn't fully comprehend it. But when it was confirmed and spelled out for her, that's when the real shock set in, as if, even though she kinda figured it out already, hearing it just completely set her off and got the message through all the way, you know what I mean? I hope that makes sense and helps you understand the effect I was going for. Sorry if it was confusing.

kutlessgurl90: Redheads do rule. I would know because I am one. LOL.

* * *

**Chapter 13**

Tears streamed down Ivy's face as she and Topaz raced through the woods of Narnia at top speed. The wind, growing cooler by the second to signal the quick coming of the night, blew mercilessly in her face, making it even more impossible for her to see where she was going as well as stinging her already red face. Topaz knew the way by heart, however, so she wasn't worried. The doe hadn't breathed a word since they had left the palace. She, of course, had known Peter's true identity but had followed Redwood's instructions to not tell Ivy so. She wanted to comfort the poor tree, but couldn't find the words, nor did she think that Ivy really wanted to talk right now, so she just let her cry.

Ivy herself was feeling so many emotions all at once that she didn't know what else to do with them besides cry. Mainly she felt betrayed. If he had only told her. Why had he had to keep it a secret? She couldn't believe that she had developed feelings for the most forbidden of them all: the High King of Narnia. Not only was he human, which made it bad enough, he was royalty too – the highest in all the land. She should have known better. There was no possible way now that anything could ever happen between them; he was as important as they came, and she was a nobody – a nobody that wasn't even fully human.

"Thank you, Topaz," she said softly, her voice faultering slightly with sorrow, when they reached the tree and she had dismounted. Topaz only nodded and followed her into the tree, still speechless. Twitter, who had been following them overhead, flew in through the window quickly.

"Ivy!" Redwood's ears pricked up and he lifted his head concernedly as the wearied redhead made her way through the door with Topaz. He saw the red streaks down her face and the hurt within her eyes and knew something horrible had happened. "What happened?" He looked over his shoulder urgently at Twitter for some sort of answer but the bird simply shrugged, indicating to Redwood that it hadn't been trouble on the road that had caused the girl pain.

"He's a king," she whispered sorrowfully, more to herself than to the fox.

"What?" He drew closer to her.

"I'm in love with the High King of Narnia," she elaborated. The room grew silent as the grave. She suddenly whipped her head down at Redwood, eyeing him accusingly. "Did you know about this?" He hesitated for a moment as the rest of the room watched in suspense for the answer he would give, even though every one of them knew he would tell her the truth; he just couldn't lie to her.

"Yes, Ivy, I knew." He hung his head dejectedly, refusing to look at her. She screamed bloody murder and fell to her knees in the middle of the room, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. She buried her face in her hands and wept as Redwood simply stood before her, not knowing what to do. Fern and Lawna stopped their stirring from their position at the cauldron; Topaz stood awkwardly by the door; Pattertwig looked on sadly from his nest in the ceiling, and Twitter stood motionlessly on the back of one of the table's chairs.

"Did all of you know?" she asked after a few minutes, tears still falling from her eyes as she lifted her head to scan the room. Slowly each head nodded in affirmation. "Why didn't you tell me?" She looked at them angrily.

"Red told us not to," Fern said softly. Ivy's eyes rapidly fixed themselves on the red-tailed fox before her, the one she had considered her closest, dearest friend, and she glared at him with hurt and inquisition.

"Red?" she breathed almost in disbelief. The fox hung his head once again, too ashamed to look at her. "Wh-why?" He lifted his head as he replied, looking her straight in the eyes.

"Because I wanted you to have the chance to love and know what it was like to be loved in return," he said simply. She just stared at him. "I saw the way you would look at him, Ivy, and I knew I might be doing the wrong thing not telling you, but I thought that since he didn't tell you either there must have been a reason behind it. You grew closer and closer each day, and I could feel his love for you growing even as yours did for him. It seems he didn't want you to know, and I believe it was specifically for this reason. If you had known you would have distanced yourself from him and not allowed yourself to give into your feelings. I know it hurts now, Ivy; I know, and maybe I should have stopped it all. Maybe I made the wrong decision, but you have to believe me when I say that all I've ever wanted for you is happiness. Ever since we became friends, you took me in, I've wanted to repay you, protect you the way you did me and my family. I even sent Twitter out to follow you today just to make sure nothing would happen to you. I know it's always been a bit harder for me to share my feelings, but I love you, Ivy, like a brother loves his sister. You're my family and I never want anything to ever happen to you that will bring you harm. I'm sorry."

"No, Red," Ivy said, sticking her hand out and petting him gently on the top of his head. "You don't need to apologize for anything." She pulled the fox into her arms and held him close to her heart as he tenderly nuzzled her chin with his nose lovingly.


	14. You Can't Fight Love

I hope you all enjoy this chappie. A brother moment. LOL. :) I love those. Anyway, I know, very short again, but don't worry; we'll be getting back to the action next chappie! For now, enjoy the brotherly moment. LOL.

* * *

**Chapter 14**

"Are you feeling all right?" Edmund asked his brother, sitting down beside him on the window seat in their bedroom at the palace – the bedroom he had slept in alone for the last two weeks. Peter had his knees pulled up close to his face, his arms wrapped around them, drawing them close into his chest. He was staring out at the window with a blank expression. As Edmund sat down he looked up slightly then returned to the world outside. "You've been so quiet all evening. Is your head still hurting you?" He shook his head.

"No, not at all," he replied, grinning momentarily. "Ivy and her watermelon cured me."

"Watermelon?" Edmund questioned in disbelief, smirking. Peter nodded, his smile growing wider, as he turned to his younger brother, pulling his eyes away from the window.

"That's Ivy's miracle cure – watermelon, and, you know, the surprising thing is it worked," he chuckled as Edmund joined in.

"Really?" he asked, still not convinced.

"Really," Peter nodded again. "I promise." The two boys laughed for a moment, but then Peter's expression grew melancholy once more and he resumed staring out the window in silence.

"You miss her, don't you?" Edmund asked after a period of silence. Peter thought a moment and then finally nodded slowly.

"Very much," he whispered, more to himself than to Edmund. The young brunette stared at his older blonde brother, trying to read him, but it was impossible. All he knew was that there was an extreme longing within Peter's eyes, one he had never seen before, so he didn't quite know how to handle the situation.

"She was very pretty," he said, looking out the window as well.

"She's beautiful," Peter corrected.

"Are you in love with her, Peter?" Edmund finally asked straight out, looking at his brother again and fixing his eyes on him until Peter could feel his eyes almost glaring at him and was forced to look at him.

"I, I don't know," he said softly. He turned back to the window. "I mean, it's absurd, right? I'm a king, and she-she's a tree spirit. I can't believe she's a tree spirit. I lived with her for two weeks and she never said a word."

"Well, you never told her that you were a king either, Pete," Edmund pointed out.

"Yeah, but at least I wasn't hiding the fact that I was human," Peter argued heatedly, but calmed himself down nearly instantly. "But you're right; we were both hiding our true identities from the other, as if, somehow, we thought the other would reject us if we told them. I know that's what she must have been feeling, why she hides her true identity from nearly everyone she meets. I know that's why I hid mine from her; I wanted to get to know her without the awkwardness of my kingship getting in the way, you know?" Edmund nodded, and even though Peter was still looking out the window he felt it. "She probably feels like I betrayed her; at least, I know those are some of the feelings I'm dealing with, but only some." He paused. "I can't fall in love with her. I'm a king and a human; she's a tree spirit. Besides, I'm sure once this is all over we'll be going back to London again, right, Ed?" He turned to his brother suddenly. "I mean, come on; talk me out of it." Edmund simply looked at him, thinking long and hard about how to respond to this.

"I can't, Peter," he said finally. "You and I both know that I could try but in the end nothing I could say would do any good. No amount of logic can talk you out of such a strong emotion, especially not love. If you're in love with her then there's hardly anything anyone can do. You know that if I could help you I would; I'm your brother. But I can't fight love, you're the only one who can. You know this too, don't you?" Peter sighed in affirmation and turned his head back to the window.

"I miss her, Ed," he said after a long period of silence.


	15. The Dress

I love this next chappie, it's just too sweet. Hope you all enjoy! It's a bit longer too, so y'all should like that too. :) note!

Scarley: It's longer, just for you. LOL. Seriously though, I know how the short ones can get a little annoying, there was just no way to make the last two longer. Now we're back to some normal-sized chappies. Enjoy! I'm glad you're liking the story. :)

* * *

**Chapter 15**

"Oh, Peter, there you are. What on earth are you doing?" Susan opened the door to the room she and Lucy shared together in the palace to find Peter rummaging through her wardrobe. He was supposed to be down in the kitchen meeting with Caspian, Edmund, Trumpkin, Trufflehunter, and several officers of the Narnian army to discuss the coming attack on Ronstadt. However, when the time had come he was nowhere to be found, so Lucy and Susan had been sent to look for him. This was the last place on earth she had expected to find him, but she figured she would just duck her head in anyway.

"Oh, Su," he said, pulling his head out of the wardrobe to watch his sister approaching him.

"You're supposed to be at the meeting in the kitchen right now, Peter. I have to admit, this is the last place I expected to find you. What are you doing in our room, and why in the world are you going through my clothes?" she questioned, eying him confusedly.

"I was looking for a dress to give to Ivy to thank her for the wonderful care and attention to she gave me while I was with her," he explained, knowing that in this situation honesty was the best policy. There really was no good excuse he could come up with for rummaging through his sister's clothing. "She looks about your size so I thought one of your dresses might suit her."

"Peter," Susan said with a soft smile. "Why didn't you just come and ask me? I'm sure Ivy would appreciate a dress approved by another woman much more than one chosen on the opinion of just one man." She laughed then and he joined in.

"Then you'll help me?" he questioned as she nodded, still laughing slightly.

"Of course I'll help you, but right now you need to be in the kitchen; they're expecting you. Come see me after the meeting and I'll have a dress for you." She turned to her wardrobe and began fingering through the dresses judgmentally. Peter just stared at his sister. This was not the reaction he had expected at all. He had anticipated many more questions and even some amount of anger on her part, but obviously he hadn't received any sort of reaction to that nature.

"Thanks, Su," he said softly, exiting the room. Susan smiled to herself as she looked over the dresses one by one.

_He's falling in love, and even though I know I shouldn't be encouraging a romance between a king and a tree spirit, I just can't help myself. He's my brother_.

* * *

"What do you think?" Susan asked, holding up a beautiful blue dress before her brother's eyes as he entered her room later that evening. It was lined in silver along the bottom, neckline, and sleeves and embroidered with little silver roses across the entire expanse of the beautiful material. The neckline drooped a bit more than the dress Susan currently had on and Peter knew that Ivy would look positively dazzling in the soft blue dress.

"It's beautiful, Susan," he whispered as she walked up to him and placed the dress in his hands.

"It's one of my favorites," she agreed. "But I know it will look ravishing on Ivy with her red hair." Peter nodded. "Peter, there's just one thing." He pulled his eyes away from the dress in his arms to look up into his sister's. "How do you plan on getting this to her? We're on the verge of executing what could be the most important battle in this war; you can't simply leave again."

"I know; I've thought it over and have decided to send someone else in my place," he said.

"Who?" she urged.

"Trufflehunter seems the most intelligent choice."

"Trufflehunter?" Susan cried in disbelief. "You would send Trufflehunter out there?"

"Susan, he's an animal – least likely to be noticed by the Ronstadt soldiers and hardly the first to be suspected," he explained as Susan just continued to eye him doubtfully. "Look, Su, if I could go myself I would, but you yourself said there is no possible way I will be allowed to leave the palace again. How else do you propose I get this to her?"

"I don't know, Peter," she sighed. "Maybe you should wait until this is all over."

"I, I know I should, b-but, but I just can't," he said, eyes fixed on the dress in his hands, avoiding Susan's gaze. Susan smiled tenderly then upon her brother and placed a hand on his shoulder as he lifted his head slowly to look at her again.

"I understand, Peter; you must miss her terribly," she said as he simply nodded, unable to speak.

* * *

"Ivy!" Lawna shouted, whipping her head back around to look inside the tree from where she stood on the "doorstep." A large brown package lay at her feet addressed to "An Intoxicatingly Beautiful Redhead." The girl came running to the door, Fern on her heels.

"What is is, Lawna?" she cried.

"I just stepped outside and found this sitting in front of our door," she explained, picking the package up off the ground and placing it in Ivy's hands. "I think it's addressed to you." Ivy's breath caught in her throat as she stared at the words written on the brown paper encasing the gift. Fern's eyes grew ten times wider as she peered over Ivy's shoulder and gasped.

"Oh, Ivy," she breathed, hand on her heart. "Open it, open it!" She rushed to Ivy's bed and sat down as the tree slowly followed, almost in a trance, and Lawna closed the door and then also joined them on the bed. Ivy's hands were shaking with anticipation, so much so that she could barely tear the package apart. Fern was wringing her hands excitedly beside her which made her even more nervous. Finally she managed to tear the paper off of the white box it was wrapped around, lifting the top only to find a beautiful blue dress embroidered with silver roses inside. She gasped and placed a hand over her mouth, hardly able to believe it.

"Oh my goodness," Fern and Lawna whispered in unison, also placing their hands over their mouths. The three girls were stunned to speechless for a good five minutes before Fern broke the silence.

"Th-there's a note attached." She pointed at a small piece of paper pinned to the bodice. Ivy, quivering, reached for the note and brought it up close to her face so she could read it.

"A small token to thank you for all the care and warmth you gave me and to indulge your desire to truly be human. There is not a day goes by I do not think of you, Ivy – a young tree spirit who truly has captured this king's heart. Aslan's blessings be upon you and your family. Your Humble Servant, Peter"

Ivy could not contain the tears which had risen to her eyes as she read. She burst into tears, pressing her face into the soft material of the dress, now in her hands.

"Oh, Ivy," Lawna breathed, placing her hand on the shaking tree's back and rubbing it comfortingly.

"What's wrong?" came a voice from the doorway. The two fauns looked up to see Redwood standing in the doorway. "What's that?" He was eying the dress confusedly. "Why is she crying?" His eyes now revealed concern as he moved closer to the bed.

"K-King Peter sent her a dress," Lawna stuttered. Redwood looked at her quizically, but as he observed the girl crying bitterly into the blue dress in her hands, realization struck. He hopped up onto the bed between Lawna and Ivy and waited until the girl had finished her cry. When she finally did pull her red, tear-stained face away from the blue material she looked down at the fox beside her on the bed, eyes full of anguish.

"He loves you, Ivy," was all Redwood could say. She nodded, tears still flowing silently down her face.

"Oh, Red, what am I going to do?" she wept.

"Wear the dress," Fern suggested with a shrug. Ivy turned to the faun, glaring at first, but then, suddenly, she burst out laughing.

"Oh, Fern!" she laughed hysterically as the rest joined in.


	16. Trapped

All right, some action! Keep those reviews coming and enjoy! Note!

kutlessgurl90: Redhead power! My being a redhead too it was easy to pick what would look good on Ivy as far as colors go. Yep, blue and silver are two of our best colors. :)

* * *

**Chapter 16**

"Ivy, I don't think this is a good idea," Redwood scolded, eyeing the girl somewhat harshly as he watched her twirl around before him in the blue dress Peter had sent. The ends flew upward allowing air to carry the skirt up around her as she spun around the inside of the small tree.

"Oh, Red, you worry too much," she laughed, stopping by the door and turning around to smile at the red-tailed fox standing in the center of the room.

"I wouldn't worry so much if you didn't give me reason to," he retorted as she simply laughed on.

"I'm just going for a walk, Red," she assured him.

"Without your green ivy dress on," he elaborted.

"Yes, without my green ivy dress on," she agreed.

"Ivy, what would happen should you need to change back into a vine? What if you run into some danger?"

"Red, you really do worry too much." Ivy rolled her eyes and opened the door. "I'll be back by nightfall." The fox simply watched her skip out the door, shaking his head and sighing.

_Stubborn.

* * *

_Ivy frolicked through the forest, letting the glorious golden sun pour its rays upon her face. She soaked in its warmth and basked in its beauty, admiring every green leaf on every tree and every splash of color within her vision. The world looked more beautiful to her today than it ever had before, and she herself truly was a part of it. Still, it had never looked like this before. She felt the cloth around her ankles and heard is swishing against her legs and brushing over the grass. She looked down at the sleeves wrapped all the way around her arms every five seconds just to assure herself this was real. She really was wearing a dress. Her bare feet caressed the leaves beneath her feet as she walked soundlessly through the woods as if in a trance. She couldn't get the vision of Peter standing before her out of her mind. She smiled to herself as she continued on. Peter.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" came a voice from out of nowhere. Before she could blink, two Ronstadt soldiers were standing before her, eyeing her hungrily. She gave a sharp, quick squeal when she saw them, startled out of her own world instantly. She attempted to back up but found two more soldiers standing right behind her as she whipped around. Her eyes filled with fear for the first time in her life.

"You shouldn't wander the woods alone, sweetheart; you could get hurt," one of the soldiers from behind said as the others snickered. He reached for her arm but she pulled it away ferociously.

"Don't touch me, you scum," she spat at him.

"Ah, a fiesty one," another said. They were growing closer by the second, encircling themselves around her until she could barely move without touching one of them.

"Get away from me!" she cried, horrified.

"Don't worry, princess; we'll leave you alone when we've gotten what we want."

"Stay away from me!" she screamed. She attempted to reject one of the soldier's grasps, whipping around in the other direction, causing him to rip the left shoulder of her new dress. Her flesh, creamy and white, shone under the rays of the sunlight and caused the men to eye her even more greedily. She shuddered at their lustful glances, tears beginning to fill her eyes. She should have listened to Red. Without the green leaves upon her body it was impossible for her to change into a vine of ivy; of course a certain amount of time away from it would also cause her to die since she truly was, at the core of her being, a tree. She was trapped.

"I do believe you would look much more appetizing without that dress on," one of the soldiers suggested as the rest laughed maniacally and began ripping her dress to shreds. The pieces of blue and silver cloth fell to the forest floor as she attempted to fight but was nothing short of ineffective. Her tears blinded her until all she could do was scream and cry.

"Stop!" she wept bitterly, crying at the top of her lungs. Suddenly there was a flash of glittering metal and a fifth man jumped into the fray, his sword pointed at the four Ronstadt soliders.

"If you lay another hand on her I will cut you ribbons," he declared, glaring at the four soldiers.

"Just wait one minute. Who do you think you are?" the leader of the group asked, stepping forward.

"High King Peter the Magnificent," he replied, ripping his helmet off to reveal his beautiful golden locks. "And I will not hesitate to kill every last one of you." The soldiers were stunned to speechlessness, eyes as wide as golf balls. "Go and tell your king that the kings and queens of old have returned once again to Narnia. Tell him to prepare for battle; tell him that he has reason to fear. We will reclaim what is ours, down to every last fallen leaf on the ground. Go!" The soldiers took off like theives in the night, too intimidated by the thought of High King Peter's return and their impending doom to fight back. Once they were well out of sight Peter sheathed his sword and turned around to face Ivy. She stood shaking violently before him, the once beautiful blue dress ripped to shreds at her feet. Only the bodice and a slight portion of the skirt remained.

"Ivy," Peter whispered, rushing to her side and pulling her into his arms, at or least attempting to.

"No, no, no!" she screamed, as if unaware that it was him holding her and not one of the soldiers.

"Ivy, Ivy, shh, shh, it's me, it's me, shh," he soothed as she continued to fight for a moment before stopping long enough to look into his face.

"P-Peter?" she breathed.

"I'm here, Ivy," he nodded. "I'm here." Realization struck and she finally allowed him to pull her into his body, holding her tight to his chest and rocking her back and forth within his arms.

"Peter!" she cried, tears flooding her face as she buried her face in his shirt, grasping at him tightly to assure herself that he was really there, holding her. She snatched at his shoulders for dear life; she never wanted him to let her go.

"Shh, shh," he continued to whisper every now and then until her tears finally stopped flowing. She lifted her face, red and gleaming with tearstain in the sunlight, to look up into his sorrowfully.

"Oh, Peter, the, the dress," she sniffled.

"I don't care about the dress," he said tenderly as she looked at him confusedly. "You're safe, and that's all that matters. I love you, Ivy." And without giving her a moment to reply he bent his neck down to her level and touched his lips to hers. She lost herself in his kiss and simply allowed herself to drink in his love, melting right there in his arms.


	17. The Appearance

Sorry I was a little late this one; I've been pretty busy lately with the first semester of my college career coming to a close. Don't hold it against me if the next few chappies aren't updated as quickly as the rest were. I'm busy writing in other areas, like dreadful research papers. Ugh. But hopefully this chappie will tide you over until the next one. Enjoy! And don't forget to review!

* * *

**Chapter 17**

"Peter," Ivy breathed as she finally pulled away from him and he began to run a finger through her beautiful, long red hair. "I love you too." She sighed and rested her head on his chest. "But it can never be."

"And why can't it?" he demanded

"You're a king, I'm a commoner, not to mention the fact that you're human and I'm a tree spirit," Ivy pointed out the obvious. Peter smirked.

"I don't care." He covered her lips with his once more.

* * *

"Have any of you seen Peter?" Lucy questioned curiously, entering the small kitchen to find Caspian, Susan, Edmund, Trumpkin, and Trufflehunter all seated around the table in the center of the room. All five shook their heads.

"Why?" Susan questioned worriedly.

"Because I can't find him anywhere," Lucy replied as Susan whipped her head around to exchange a worried glace with Caspian.

"He's missing on the eve of battle?" Trumpkin was in utter shock.

Lucy nodded.

"Ivy," Edmund breathed as realization struck.

"What?" Lucy was confused but it made perfect sense to Susan.

"Of course," she nodded, turning to Edmund. "But how could he leave now?" Edmund shrugged.

"You tell me; love makes you do crazy things, so I'm told," he teased as Susan blushed and eyed Caspian hesitantly, but smiled when she found him smiling.

"He is in love with her?" Caspian asked Edmund who nodded.

"Aw," Lucy sighed dreamily.

"Well, this is just perfect," Trumpkin grumbled, folding his arms over his chest.

"Trumpkin," Lucy sighed with a smirk.

"No, really, what are we gonna do? High King Peter is off gallivanting in the woods with some tree spirit while we sit here in the palace on the eve of battle. We can't proceed without him, but we can't stop the attack now since our troops at the How are all set to attack tomorrow. Not to mention the fact that he could be killed," Trumpkin rattled off the negatives in his usual, pessimistic tone.

"He'll be here," Lucy said suddenly, confidently. They all stared at her confusedly, but Trufflehunter gradually allowed a smile to break upon his mouth.

"Queen Lucy is right; Aslan will protect him," he nodded. She smiled down upon him lovingly.

"You're right, Lucy, we have to trust Aslan," Susan said, still uncertain, but choosing to place her faith in the mysterious lion. Trumpkin simply rolled his eyes.

"He better be here by sunrise," was all he said as the others simply chuckled.

* * *

"What are you doing here, Peter?" Ivy asked as the couple walked through the forest, arms linked.

"I had to see you again," he breathed as the tree simply sighed with pleasure upon the mixture of his voice and his words.

"But the country needs you," she protested.

"Obviously you needed me more," he chuckled as she smiled. "But you are right in thinking that I'm needed back at the palace. We are on the verge of battle."

"Then you should return," she said urgently, drawing away from him and stopping in her tracks.

"No, Ivy, please; I, I just need one more day with you because I fear I won't have another," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders softly. She stared into his eyes, trying to hold back the tears in her own.

"Peter." She fell into his arms lightly as he caressed her tenderly. Suddenly a sharp pain came over her and she drew away, clutching her stomach, eyes squeezed tight together.

"Ivy!" Peter cried as she gasped for breath. "Ivy, what is it?"

"It-it's nothing," she said after a moment as the pain began to dissipate and she once again rose to her full height from her previously hunched position. "Just a sharp pain; Peter, it's nothing, really." She tried to convince the perturbed young man as he looked upon her concernedly. "Now, come with me; I'll take you to my favorite spot in the entire forest." She took his hand tenderly in hers and led him off into the woods. He trailed behind her, loving the touch of her hand in his, her skin upon his, and he allowed himself to be inundated by her intoxicating, beautiful presence, watching her glorious red head flow behind her with the breeze.

They finally emerged from the depths of the woods onto the top of cliff. A single tree stood close to the edge, but far enough away that sitting under it wouldn't make you feel insecure. The cliff overlooked the beautiful country of Narnia – vast plains and meadows as far as the eye could see. It was breathtaking. Ivy led Peter to the tree and took a seat underneath it, motioning for him to do the same. He smirked and sat down beside her as she slipped her fingers between his and brought her head to rest on his shoulder. He bent over and kissed the top of her head lightly.

"This place is beautiful, Ivy," he whispered. "I can see why it's your favorite spot."

"It's not just because of the view," she said with a grin as he stared at her curiously. She nodded to the tree. "This is my tree." He smiled gently.

"Your tree?"

She nodded as he wrapped his arms around her body and she gently moved to rest her head on his chest, and the two fell asleep in each others' arms.

* * *

That night Peter was suddenly awoken by a horrible scream. He jumped to his feet, scanning the premises for trouble, but found none, at least until he looked back down at Ivy. The poor girl was huddled in pain, arms clutching her stomach as they had earlier that day.

"Ivy," he breathed, kneeling beside her. "Ivy, what's wrong?"

"I, I waited to long," she gasped, trying to fight back the cries of torture that were welling up inside her. "Peter!" She grabbed his hand and squeezed it as tight as she possibly could as if he could help her fight the pain.

"Waited too long to what?" The boy was in panic.

"Ch-change back."

"Change back? Ivy, what are you talking about?"

"My true form is a vine of ivy, Peter. If I don't change back into a vine from time to time, or if I lose the ability to do so, I therefore lose a part of myself." She looked up into his eyes, which were still filled with confusion. "That means I die too, Peter."

"But I don't understand; just change back now."

She shook her head. "I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?" he cried in desperation.

"I don't have my green dress. It is made of ivy and thereby gives me the ability to change into my true form," she explained.

"Wh-where is it?" he demanded.

"B-back at the house, with Redwood," she stammered, letting out another cry of despair. "Peter!"

"I'm going to get it; you're not going to die, Ivy," he said determinedly.

"It's too late," she breathed, shaking her head again. "Please, don't leave me; I don't want to die alone."

"But I have to save you," he said, tears beginning to fill his eyes. "You have to live, Ivy; you have to live. I love you." He pulled her into his arms once again and cradled her head in his arms.

"I love you too," she managed to whisper, still clutching his hand tight in her own. The tears dripped down Peter's face; for once in his life he was at a loss at what to do, for there was nothing he could do. He could not stop her death; it was inevitable. So he cried, weeping more bitterly than he ever had before in his life as Ivy gasped for her final breaths within his arms. But suddenly, from within the wood, came a loud roar, and as he squinted to see the animal emerging from the forest, Peter was almost positive he saw the figure of a lion, proud and majestic, walking toward them, a small piece of greenery between his teeth.


	18. On to War

I am so sorry it's taken me this long to update, but you know how busy it gets around Thanksgiving. I have a few more exams to take for school and then I'm done until January. The first semester of college is nearly under my belt! Success! I don't know if I'll be writing over the break, so I wouldn't be crossing my fingers, but definitely keep checking back. There will be an update as soon as I can manage one, I promise. Note!

LOTRRanger: Read and find out. LOL.

* * *

**Chapter 18**

"Aslan!" Peter cried, partially shocked and partially relieved. The lion didn't even acknowledge him, just made his way over to Ivy as Peter rose and turned his back so that Aslan could strip the tree spirit from the torn dress upon her body and replace it with her green ivy dress.

"You may look now, Son of Adam," Aslan said gravely as Peter turned around to see the color slowly rising to Ivy's beautiful cheeks once again. She lay still, but her breathing was steady her features peaceful.

"Oh, Ivy," he breathed, kneeling by her side once and taking her in his arms. The redhead's eyes fluttered open gently and she smiled weakly upon her king.

"Peter." She ran a hand through his blonde hair tenderly.

"Oh, Aslan." Peter turned to the lion who stood before them. "Thank you." He bowed his head from his kneeling position as Aslan nodded in recognition of the jesture.

"Aslan," Ivy whispered in astonishment as she gazed upon for the lion for the first time. He was an amazing spectacle, his golden fur shining in the light of the slowly rising sun and his soft eyes looking down upon her lovingly as if he had known her always. She began to push against Peter, trying to lift herself up onto her feet. Once he realized what she was trying to do, he helped her to stand, and once she had found her footing she threw her arms around the lion's large neck, weeping her heart out, head buried in his glorious mane. "Thank you, Aslan." The lion chuckled good-naturedly.

"My child," he said soothingly. "Enough of your tears; you need not cry, precious one."

"Oh, Aslan." She pulled away sniffling as Peter offered a handkerchief from a pocket in his tunic which she gladly accepted, wiping her red eyes. "So long I have waited to see you."

"I know," he nodded. "And now you have. But come, there is an army on the verge of battle that will surely fail without you, King Peter."

"Yes, Aslan. I am sorry for my foolishness, but I simply had to see Ivy again," Peter said, bowing his head in shame. "I should never have deserted my brother and sisters on the eve of battle."

"There has been no harm done yet; I have come to prevent the disaster that will arise should you not fight," Aslan said.

"I will fight, Aslan; you don't need to worry about that."

The lion chuckled. "I do not doubt it; you are true to your country, my king. Now come, on my back; I will carry you safely to the palace."

"Aslan," Ivy said timidly as the lion turned to look at her questioningly. "Wh-what should I do?"

"Return to your tree, Ivy."

"But I want to fight for my country as well," she insisted.

"I know, dear heart, but I assured Redwood that you would return in the morning; he was nearly frantic when I arrived for your dress," Aslan said with a smile as Ivy produced one of her own.

"All right, but-"

"Go, Ivy; I promise that you and Peter will meet again before his time in this world is up," he said softly. She nodded then, having the reassurance of the great lion. Turning to Peter she smiled tenderly.

"Make haste, my king; Narnia needs you; we will meet again," said said, touching his hand momentarily and then disappearing into the woods.

* * *

"He's not here, Lucy," Susan said, peering out at the sun rising above the crests of the hills of the magnificent land of Narnia. She was growing anxious. She wanted to trust Aslan, but it was becoming an increasingly harder task to do. Every minute that slowly ticked away produced neither Aslan nor her brother and she could barely stand the uncertainty.

"He will be here," Lucy assured her, still obtuse in her belief that Aslan would bring him back to them.

"We have to begin the attack in exactly five minutes, but how can we possibly do it without Peter?" Edmund asked.

"We won't have to; he will be here!" Lucy insisted.

"Lucy, you have to face reality-" Caspian began.

"Caspian, he will be here," she repeated for the third time.

"Lucy-" Edmund started, but no sooner had he uttered her name than the sound of a great roar shook the very foundation of the castle and a large lion burst through the doors of the palace.

"Peter!" Susan cried.

"Aslan!" Lucy shouted joyously, rushing to embrace the lion as he laughed merrily.

"Lucy," he breathed. "May you be richly blessed for your great faith."

"Peter, where in the world were you?" Susan demanded, stomping right up to her brother as he dismounted the lion's back. He face grew red and he turned away from her, too ashamed to speak.

"Peter was tending to some business in the forest," Aslan responded for the boy. "There is no need to question him any further."

"Yes, Aslan," Susan nodded, instantly humbled. "I'm sorry."

"There is nothing to apologize for, my child; you have learned your lesson," he said graciously, then turned to the final Pevensie.

"Aslan," Edmund said with a great smile.

"King Edmund," Aslan nodded. "Your plans for battle are strong, but so is your enemy. I trust your army is ready to fight?"

"Oh, yes, Aslan," Edmund assured him as the lion smiled.

"You are wise beyond your years," he said, turning to Caspian. "And Caspian."

"Aslan." The man knelt on one knee, head facing the ground.

"Rise, my son," Aslan said as he once again stood. "You have ruled this country well, and will continue to do so."

"Thank you, Aslan."

"Now, the time for battle draws near. It is time to run those filthy invaders off of our lands," he said, turning to Peter who smirked and then nodded.


	19. The Battle

I am sooooooo sorry I haven't updated in so long. I hope all of you hadn't just completely given up on me updating, because I will ALWAYS finish my stories, I promise. I also only write one story at a time, so you can count on me writing and updating and staying focused on just one story at a time. It's just been Christmas break and you know how that is - way busier than you ever thought it would be. LOL. Anyway, sorry for the lack of updates as of late, but I'm back in the groove and I hope to be updating more regularly now. I hope you all enjoy this chappie. It's nearing the end, but don't worry, there should be at least one more chappie. I haven't decided if I want it to be one more or two, we'll see. Anyway, keep on reading and reviewing! Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 19**

"Ivy!" Redwood looked up immediately as the redhead entered the small room in the tree, closing the door behind her. The fox, anxious to look her over, hopped down from one of the chairs he had been curled up on quickly trotted over to her, eyes running over her entire body to check for any damages. "A-are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Red," she nodded, bending slightly to pet him on the head tenderly. "Worried, were you?"

"I think I had a right to be this time," Redwood argued as Fern and Lawna appeared in the room from their own separate room.

"Ivy!" came their cry in unison, both girls rushing to embrace the tree spirit.

"Oh, we were so worried," Lawna breathed, and Ivy could feel Fern nodding in agreement.

"I'm all right," the redhead chuckled. It was good to home, feeling the arms of those who cared about her wrapped about her, seeing the concerned expressions upon their faces. Just knowing that she meant something to them, something worth worrying about, it meant everything in the world to her. Suddenly Topaz appeared from the room as well and began to nuzzle Ivy's elbow.

"I'm so glad you're safe, Ivy," she whispered.

"Wh-where are Pattertwig and Twitter?" Ivy looked about the room as Fern and Lawna pulled away.

"At war, Ivy," Redwood replied as the girl whipped around to look into his face concernedly.

"War?"

He nodded. "Yes, Ivy. When Aslan came to us to retrieve your green dress he told us of King Edmund's attack strategy and requested that they fight for Narnia; of course, you know those two, they hardly needed an invitation. I would have gone myself as well, but someone had to stay here with the girls; besides, I had to see for myself that you were unharmed."

Ivy smiled. "Oh, Red." She patted him upon the head again, but suddenly her face changed from tenderness into one overcome with determination. "But now is not the time for emotion. I agree with Pattertwig and Twitter; I wanted to fight for my country, and fight I shall."

"B-but, Ivy-" Redwood began.

"Red, you know how stubborn I can be; you're not going to stop me. I'll be all right, I promise. I am going to get Willow, and together we will help Narnia defeat Ronstadt. I'm sure Aslan has awoken the trees to fight, so why shouldn't I too?"

The poor fox sighed, looking up into her defiant features and shaking his head. She was right; there was no way for him to change her mind, not now when it was so set upon fighting. He was only concerned about her safety; looking into the precious girl's eyes, he couldn't stand the thought of ever losing her. She had protected him for so many years that he now felt it was his duty to do the same for her, no, duty wasn't the right word. He loved her too much for his protection to simply be regarded as a "duty." It was an act of selfless love, of compassion and care.

"All right, Ivy, go, fight for Narnia; it is your right just as much as it is mine. I, however, must stay here to watch after Fern, Lawna, and Topaz, so, fight for me too, will you, Ivy?"

"Oh, Red," she breathed, kneeling at his side and peering deep into his eyes. "I would have even if you hadn't asked me. You're my dearest friend. I would sooner fight for you than anyone else alive." With that she kissed him affectionately on the top of his small head and exited the tree without another word.

* * *

Ivy ran through the forest as fast as she could, making as little noise as possible. She ran for the tree at the edge of the cliff, the one she and Peter had sat underneath only hours before. The one she had called "her tree."

"Willow!" she cried, falling to the ground beside the tree, gasping for air desperately. "Willow, wake up!"

"I'm here, Ivy; I'm here," a soft voice spoke calmly. Ivy lifted her head from the ground to see the figure of a beautiful young girl bent over her own, her long brown hair nearly touching Ivy's own face. She cupped her locks behind her ears and offered the redhead a hand, delicately lifting her to her feet. The pretty girl wore a leafy dress of mossy green, a much duller color than Ivy's own of vibrant evergreen. Her eyes were a deep brown and her skin had a light olive tint to it.

"W-we're going to war," Ivy stammered, still trying to find her breath.

"I know; Aslan woke me from my slumber minutes ago and I have been waiting for you ever since," Willow replied.

"Are you ready?" Ivy had complete control of her faculties now and was staring into Willow's eyes, searching hers for affirmation.

The tree nodded. "Yes, I'm ready; let's go. The troops at the How have already left to attack Ronstadt's camp. We must meet them there with the rest of the trees."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Our army needs us," Ivy said, and with that Willow gave another nod and jumped up into the air. A flash of light that seemed to be coming from the tree itself engulfed her body and then retreated back into the tree, and Willow was gone. But suddenly the tree began to move. The roots broke free from the earth and it began to "walk" in the direction of the Ronstadt camp. Ivy then jumped into the air as well, allowing a bright flash of light to transform her into the vine of ivy that was her true form. She then grabbed a hold of Willow and the two were on to war.

* * *

The war truly had begun. When Ivy and Willow reached the battlefield, choas had broken out at Ronstadt's camp, however it did seem that this time, Narnia had the upper hand. Edmund's plan was working. The trees were destroying tents left and right, taking Ronstadt soldiers down with them. Reepicheep and his band of mice were killing their foes faster than you could blink. Griffons were dropping rocks from the sky down upon the enemy as they flew overhead, and many centaurs and fauns were locked in swordfights upon the ground and it was easy to tell that their opponents were gradually weakening under the strain of the fight. Even squirrels had jumped into the fray, ganging up on one soldier at the time and taking him down. Small birds took the same approach, pecking at soldiers' eyes and teaming up on them one by one. As Ivy watched, she smiled to herself, thinking of Pattertwig and Twitter. She knew they were safe and were conquering their enemies, fighting their hardest for their kingdom and reigning victorious, she could just feel it.

_Thank you, Aslan,_ she thought to herself amidst the battle. _Thank you for protecting the ones I love._

As she and Willow moved through, the strong tree whipped it's long roots this way and that, destroying all in her path, just as Ivy whipped out her own vines choking all the Ronstadt soldiers she could. But, no sooner had they gotten there it seemed, then the battle was over. Narnia had clearly out-numbered Ronstadt and had no doubt had the element of surprise that Edmund had counted on when he drew up the plans. Reepicheep had executed them to the letter, and the victory was theirs, at least at the emcampment; Narnia still had one battle left to fight.

"Now all that is left is to build the signal fire; gather as much wood as you can find and pile it high. We must inform the kings and queens of our victory so that our remaining army can attack King Midas's castle," Reepicheep commanded. His mice, along with the fauns and centaurs, all rushed to do his bidding. Even the birds and squirrels rushed to help with the few small twigs that they could manage to carry. Soon a roaring fire was burning high above the trees. "Aslan be with them. Trees, go and assist the army at Midas's palace!" Upon that command, Ivy and Willow were off once again.

* * *

It didn't take the army at Caspian's palace long to see the signal fire and start off for Midas's castle. By the time Ivy and her tree reached the palace of Ronstadt full-fledge war had broken out, just as it had at the camp. Again, Edmund's plan seemed to be working beautifully. Narnia still maintained its dominant position. Minotaurs carrying axes and human soldiers armed with swords were fighting the guards of Ronstadt with all they had. Ivy could see Caspian and Edmund locked in combat with two Ronstadt soldiers, and observed Susan, bow in hand, shooting down as many as she could. Trumpkin was also out among the fray, fighting with all his might. Lucy, however, had gone with Aslan to help the wounded of the previous battle. But where was Peter? Her eager eyes scanned the landscape even from within her vine, nervously searching for the beautiful blonde amongst the fighting throng. However, when she found the boy, her heart instantly began to beat rapidly, for she saw that he was fighting for his life against none other than King Midas himself.

"I have you now, boy," she could hear the king mutter through the clanking of their blades. "Narnia will be mine, and so will you." With that Midas lifted his sword and pierced Peter's right arm. The boy screamed in pain, letting his guard down for only a split second, but this was all the time Midas needed at knock Peter's weapon from his hand. Peter's eyes grew large as he saw his life flash before his eyes, staring at Midas's sword pointed at his throat, fully prepared to run him through.

"Willow! Willow, take me over there!" Ivy cried urgently, pointing one of her vines in the king's direction as the tree obeyed without question.

"Any last words, boy?" Midas snickered menacingly, but no sooner had the words escaped his lips then he felt a vine tightening around his throat, squeezing the very life out of him. Peter was speechless, simply watching as the king writhed in pain before him as Ivy continued to choke him until he finally fell limp before him.

"Ivy," he breathed finally when he had found his voice, staring at the vine on the tree as it detached itself from Willow's side and transformed in the beautiful figure of the daring redhead in a flash of bright light. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"Saving you," she responded with a smirk, waltzing right up to him.

"But Aslan instructed you to return home."

"And I did, but you didn't seriously believe that I would stay there, did you? I don't think even Aslan himself believed that. Nothing could keep me from fighting for my country." She stared deep into his eyes. "And my king."

"Oh, Ivy," Peter whispered, pulling her into his body and wrapping his strong arms tight about her. He then brought her lips to his, kissing her tenderly, lovingly, sweetly.

When the two drew apart they found that all eyes were upon them. The fighting had stopped, and the remaining soliders of Ronstadt were upon their knees, begging for mercy. With their king dead, they had nothing left to fight for. However, Peter's brother and sister had more important things to think about at the moment – Peter and Ivy. Caspian and Trumpkin simply stared. However, they were all thrown from their thoughts as Aslan, Lucy on his back, burst through the entryway where the castle gate had been raised to allow Narnia's army to enter. Lucy immediately jumped down from his back and began rushing around with her bottle of Fireflower juice, healing the Narnians in pain.

"The battle is ours, gentlemen, as is the war," Aslan said, scanning the faces of the surrendered Ronstadt soldiers.

"What will you do with us, your liege?" one bold soul questioned.

"I will take pity upon you and allow you to keep your life, provided that you will leave my country and never return," Aslan said, his eyes fixed motionlessly upon the soldier's. The only thing he could do was simply nod as the others followed suit. The great lion then turned to his own. "My kings and queens of Narnia, I believe it is time that we returned to our own kingdom; the victory is ours."


	20. The Choice

All right, everyone, second to last chappie. I don't think it needs much more introduction, just simply enjoy, and please, please, please review as it's nearing the end, and definitely review on the last chappie when I publish that so I know what you all thought about the story!

* * *

**Chapter 20**

"This will be your room for the night," Susan said to Ivy, opening the door to a beautifully furnished bedroom within the palace, a room which caused Ivy to simply stop where she stood in the doorway and stare in awe. As a tree spirit, she had never been inside any dwelling besides her own tree, and the grandeur of the room with its ornate rugs and curtains simply left her breathless. She rushed to the bed immediately and fell down upon it face first, allowing the mattress to nearly swallow her whole, her face buried in the soft, goose feather pillows. It was so soft. Susan simply smiled as she watched the gorgeous redhead revel in the new world around her, a world she had always taken for granted as nothing short of normalcy. Suddenly, the girl bolted upright from the spongy bed, her eyes fixed upon the enormous wardrobe on the other side of the room. She slowly lifted herself up off the bed and walked over to the beautiful piece of wood, touching its meticulously carved doors ever so delicately. She carefully opened the doors, staring at the massive amount of space inside, space meant for the simple purpose of being taken up by clothing. Clothing. She was entranced by the idea, by the grand wardrobe, by everything in the human world, a world she seemed to reside in most of the time, and yet hardly knew a thing about. A world she so desperately wanted to truly be a part of.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Susan said finally, approaching the redhead still staring into the empty wardrobe. She started slightly, as if she had just been brought back to reality, and turned to the queen.

"Yes, it is," she nodded, her voice gentle and quiet as she slowly closed the doors. "Thank you."

"You saved my brother's life; it's the least we could do," Susan chuckled slightly. "Besides, he loves you, Ivy. But I'm sure you're exhausted, I know I am. Sleep well."

"With a bed like that, how could anyone not?" Ivy laughed as Susan joined her and exited the room just as Peter entered.

"I just came in to say goodnight and make sure your room was to your liking," he said, walking up to her.

"I-it's wonderful," she stammered, wondering how anyone could not be pleased with such a room. "In all my life I had never imagined that such a room even existed; it's magnificent." Peter smiled tenderly upon the beautiful girl before him and pulled her into his arms.

"You see beauty in everything, Ivy."

She smiled softly and lifted a hand to brush his blonde hair away from his eyes affectionately instead of replying with words. Then she slowly brought her lips to touch his, allowing all the love within her soul to seep out into his with this one kiss. He was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen; he was her source of happiness and joy; he was her great comfort and shelter. Who would have ever thought that her feelings would be returned? How could he, a king, fall in love with someone as lowly as she, someone who wasn't even fully human? She didn't know, but at this point in time she didn't care anymore. The truth was that he did love her and he did want to be with her almost as much as she wanted to be with him. They were in love, and she didn't know how in the world it had happened, but the only thing that mattered was that it did. He was here holding her, kissing her, loving her, and she never wanted it to end.

* * *

"Twitter! Pattertwig!" Fern cried as she and her identical twin sister looked from the cauldron they seemed to always be stirring to see both the bird and squirrel entering their little shelter through the open whole beside the door which served as a window. Topaz looked up from where she lay on the rug at the foot of Ivy's bed and Redwood did the same from where he was curled up in a little ball on top of it.

"The battle is ours," Twitter announced immediately, landing on top of the table as Pattertwig jumped onto it as well.

"No longer will the land of Ronstadt plague Narnia," Pattertwig nodded in agreement.

"Where's Ivy?" Redwood asked, fully expecting her to have walked in the door after the two animals.

"Don't worry, Red, she's safe; she's spending the night at the palace; the kings and queens insisted," Twitter informed him as Redwood studied him uncomfortably.

"But we have more news," Pattertwig gasped as Redwood finally turned his gaze to the small squirrel on the table. "Aslan has requested our presence at the palace in the morning as well."

"Our?" Topaz questioned confusedly. Pattertwig nodded.

"All of us."

"B-but what could he possibly want with all of us?" Fern asked nervously. "I've never been to the palace before."

"We're not worthy," Lawna agreed as the two fawns turned to each other apprehensively.

"Only a fool would defy Aslan's orders; we will all go the palace in the morning as he has commanded," Redwood said suddenly, staring at the two girls beside the cauldron until they finally nodded silently, fear still in their features.

* * *

"Pattertwig! Twitter!" Ivy cried, rushing up to the bird and squirrel hurrying to meet her. "Oh, you're all right." She pulled the two animals into her arms and held them in a tight embrace. "I knew Aslan would protect you, but still, you have no idea how happy I am to see you."

"Oh yes we do, because we feel exactly the same way," Twitter said, hovering in the air beside her, his body level with her face.

"That's right, Ivy," Pattertwig agreed with a nod of affirmation, perched upon her shoulder. "Aslan assured us that you were safe, but the joy we feel upon actually seeing you is no comparison." Ivy smiled upon the two sweetly as she turned to see Fern, Lawna, and Topaz approached as well.

"Fern! Lawna! Topaz!" She ran toward the three, causing Pattertwig to topple off of her shoulder onto the ground. "Oh, Pattertwig, I'm sorry." She turned around to see the squirrel composing himself and shaking his head at her, a forgiving smirk upon his face. She smiled and then turned back to the fawns and the doe. "I was worried about you three too." She hugged each one in turn.

"There was no need to worry about us," Lawna told her with a gentle smile.

"We had Red with us," Topaz nodded. As soon as she had spoken these words, the fox appeared from the other side of the drawbridge, his figure portrayed against the glorious sun rising on the horizon.

"Red," Ivy breathed, rushing past Fern, Lawna, and Topaz to scoop the fox up in her arms, holding him tighter to her body than any of the rest. "Red." She allowed a few tears to slip down her cheek from underneath her eyelids.

"Ivy," he whispered soothingly.

"We beat 'em, Red, we did, together," she said between tears.

"Thank you, Ivy, thank you."

"Ivy?" came the voice of a young girl, and as Ivy looked up she saw Willow's slender figure painted against beautiful sunrise.

"Willow," she gasped, setting Redwood back down on the ground. "W-what are you doing here?"

"Aslan sent for me; I thought you could tell me," she said, approaching the spirit and the fox. Ivy shrugged.

"I have no idea; in fact, I didn't expect to see any of you here today."

"Hey, Redwood," Willow said, looking down at the fox with a fond smile, bright and welcoming.

"Willow," he nodded. "It's been a long time."

"Willow!" Fern and Lawna rushed over as Topaz, Pattertwig, and Twitter followed just as eagerly.

"What are you doing here?" Fern repeated Willow's words only a minute earlier.

"I don't know; Aslan summoned me."

"Sounds familiar." The fawn turned to look at Ivy questioningly.

"Don't look at me; I'm just as clueless are you are," the redhead said innocently, backing up a few steps.

"You need not be any longer."

All heads whipped upward and eyes darted about frantically until they came to rest on the great lion approaching the throng gathered by the drawbridge. Each one fell to their knees, heads bowed, as he came to a stop before them, Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy, and Caspian coming to stand on either side of him. Trumpkin, Trufflehunter, and Reepicheep were also there.

"Rise, my children," the lion commanded as the animals and spirits came to their feet timidly. "I have called you here today to witness the returns of the kings and queens of old to their own world." The four Pevensies eyed each other confusedly.

"But, Aslan-" Lucy objected.

"Hush, my child, it is time," he said tenderly, turning to her. "You must return to your own world, for I believe it is Christmas Eve and your mother will be expecting to spend it with her four children, will she not?"

"Yes, sir," the girl sighed disappointedly.

"Don't worry, dear heart; we will meet again," he promised soothingly. "However, your older brother and sister have learned all they needed from this world and it is time that they reside in their own."

"W-what, Aslan?" Susan squeaked in disbelief, turning to Caspian worriedly.

"Yeah, my dear; it is time you returned to England."

"B-but, Aslan, I, I, I can't go." She took Caspian's hand in hers and he grabbed her own tightly, fearing to part, even though somewhere deep down inside he knew it was inevitable. If Aslan wished her to return to her own world, she would return.

"Ah," he nodded in understanding. "Well, then, you must choose, but should you choose to remain in Narnia, you will do so permanently." Susan stared at the young man at her side, tears forming in her eyes. A life without him tortured her very soul, but how could she also survive without her family?

"Can he not come with me?" she gulped, trying to hold back the tears.

"He is needed here, my dear, to maintain peace within the land of Narnia, the very peace you yourself fought for," Aslan replied a bit sorrowfully. He knew this was a hard decision for the poor girl, but it was one she had to make.

"Aslan is right, Susan; I must stay here," Caspian said sadly, tears beginning to well up within his own eyes.

"Oh, Caspian!" she cried, throwing herself into his open arms, breaking down into tears, her face buried in his chest as he held her tight to his body, trying to imagine never being able to hold her ever again. The thought chilled him to the bone and broke his very heart.

"A-Aslan, am I not to return again either?" Edmund piped up softly as the lion turned to look at him graciously.

"No, my son, you shall return with Lucy," he replied.

"T-then that means I am to never return," Peter said faintly, eyes fixed upon Ivy.

"No." Ivy shook her head in disbelief. "No, Peter, no, you can't leave me." The tree rushed to his side, attaching herself to his side by wrapping her arms around his waist as he held her close, tenderly stroking her hair.

"Ah, I see you have formed a deep bond here as well, Peter," Aslan said, turning to the two figures clutching each other desperately.

"Yes, Aslan," he whispered, eying the shivering girl within his arms.

"Young love," the lion chuckled. "Well, I give the same choice to you as I did your sister; however, you have a choice as well, Ivy."

"Wh-what?" The spirit looked up at Aslan confusedly.

"You may return with Peter if you wish, but should you choose to do so you will not be able to return to Narnia again."

"B-but, Aslan, I'm not-" she started.

"Human?"

She nodded weakly.

"If you wish, I could turn you mortal, but only if you would return with Peter to England," Aslan offered.

Ivy was speechless, staring at the lion in disbelief. She had the chance to become fully human, the one thing she had wished to be her entire life. It was too wonderful to even imagine. She could wear beautiful gowns of silk and lace without worrying about her silly little green dress of ivy which kept her alive. She could sleep in a soft bed every night, her head cradled delicately among fluffy pillows. But, but what about her family here? She stared past Aslan to the animals standing against the glorious golden sun, their faces dejected and anxious. Now she understood why Aslan had called them there. She had a choice to make, Peter and humanity or her life with her family. Red. She let her eyes rest upon the red-tailed fox sorrowfully. How could she part with him? Red who had been there for her from the very beginning, Red who had loved her and cared for her when she was in pain, Red who had worried about her endlessly and protected her from all harm. How could she ever leave him?

Peter too stood at a crossroads. He didn't necessarily want to leave Narnia, but if he didn't return to England he would never see his family ever again. He would have Ivy, but he would lose his sister and brother who had always cared and looked out for him, even when he felt he didn't need them too. He would never see his mother, or hear her comforting voice. And what of his father? Should he return from the war, he would not be there to witness his glorious homecoming. He hadn't seen his father in so long, and he couldn't bear the thought of missing the opportunity to live with him once again. Besides, what would his mother think when Susan, Edmund, and Lucy tried to explain the reason he was no longer with them was because he had fallen in love with a tree spirit in a mysterious world that existed separate from there own? She'd think they'd all gone absolutely mad. He looked down at Ivy longingly and stroked her hair once more. What was he to do?


	21. Home

All right, everyone. It's come down to the last chappie. I hope you've enjoyed my little tribute to the Chronicles of Narnia, and I hope you will all drop me a review here at the end of it all so I know whether or not you liked it. Regardless of whether you've reviewed or not before, I would appreciate any thoughts from any of my readers. Thank you to all my loyal reviewers for supporting my story, I hope you enjoy the ending. Look for me in other sections if you like my work. I definitely do get around here on fanfiction. I have a few other projects I'm working on at the moment and don't know which one I'll start on next here on the site, but you can be sure I'll have another story up soon enough! Thank you so much, everyone; don't forget to read and review, and, as always, enjoy the last chappie of Only Human!

* * *

**Chapter 21**

"M-me? Hu-human?" Ivy stuttered, staring at the great lion before her in disbelief. "N-no, I couldn't possibly-"

"Do you doubt that I could give you mortality?" Aslan questioned as Ivy shook her head vehemently.

"No, Aslan, never, I, I just don't know what I'm supposed to do." She looked upon her family sorrowfully.

"As I said, it is your choice, my dear," the lion said with a gentle nod, turning back to Susan and Caspian. "Susan, have you chosen your path?" The poor girl was quivering within Caspian arms, tears flowing freely down her rosy red cheeks.

"Aslan, please, is there no other way?" she wept bitterly, clutching Caspian desperately.

"I'm sorry, my dear; many choices in both of our worlds are difficult, even heartbreaking, and many more will come for you are still young. This a decision you must make; I cannot ease the pain this time," Aslan replied, eyes looking upon the brunette lovingly and sadly, wishing he could help releave some of her suffering.

"Oh, Caspian, wh-what should I do?" Susan looked up into the young man's eyes also filled with tears.

"You, you must return home with your family," he stammered, his heart breaking as he spoke the words, sharp as knives. She stared at him questioningly. "Don't you see? It's where you belong, and Narnia is where I belong. Your family needs you, my country needs me. I don't wish for us to part, ever. I had hoped you would be able to stay by my side always, but not at such a cost. Susan, Susan I love you with all of my heart; please, always know, wherever you are, that my heart belongs to you. I am with you, as you will always be with me."

"Caspian," she cried once more as he pulled her still tighter, bending his head to kiss her lips softly in an attempt to express his undying love to her before they parted. She knew what she had to do, and so did he, but it didn't make the separation any easier.

"Peter," Ivy looked up into the blonde's beautiful blue eyes questioningly, eyes filling to the brim with tears.

"Ivy," he breathed sweetly yet despondently.

"Caspian is right; you cannot stay here. Your family needs you," she said softly, tears leaking out the sides of her eyes miserably.

"Will you come with me?" he asked hopefully. Ivy didn't reply, but simply turned to look at Redwood standing but a few steps away.

"I've always wanted to be fully human," she said, more to herself than to anyone else. "But, but how can I possibly leave my home, forever? Red?" The fox, upon hearing his name issued forth from her mouth, slowly approached her.

"You should go, Ivy," he said after a moment of silence.

"Wh-what?" She looked at him in complete amazement. This was the last thing she had expected to hear from him.

"You should go," he repeated. "It's what you want."

"But, Red-"

"Aslan is offering you the opportunity to spend the rest of your life as a human, which has been your dream ever since I've known you." He took a step closer and lowered his voice. "Please, Ivy, make this decision for you, not for me."

"Red." Tears streamed down her face as she knelt and scooped the red-tailed fox up into her arms, caressing him gently, running her fingers through his fur lovingly. "Oh, Red, I can't leave you."

"I don't want you to leave me, Ivy; I've never wanted us to be apart, but I know this is what you want. You can't will live a miserable existence without Peter by your side, and I can't bear to see you suffering for the rest of you life. I would rather know you are happy in another world and never see you again than view your disheartened face every single day in our own," he said, tears forming him his own eyes. "You've learned to love, Ivy, and have gained his love in return, and now Aslan has given you the chance to stay with the one you love for the rest of your days. Don't throw that happiness away, not for me."

"Red!" she wailed, his sweet words only compelling her to cry more. "Red, I don't deserve you."

"And I've never deserved you, Ivy," he returned sweetly with a tender smile as he allowed his silent tears to drip down his furry face. The beautiful redhead looked up then to see the rest of her family by her side.

"Red's right, Ivy," Topaz said in her soft, lulling voice. "None of us want you to leave us; you've cared for us when we were sick, you've tended to our scrapes and wounds, and you've loved us more than any other creature every could, but you deserve the opportunity to have this warmth and love returned in a way we never could. Live your dream." Everyone else nodded in agreement.

"Th-thank you, Topaz." Ivy reached her hand out to pet the deer lovingly on the head.

"We'll miss you, Ivy," Fern piped up.

"I'll miss all of you so much," the tree agreed.

"Take care of yourself," Willow said with a smirk. "I know how wild you can be." Ivy chuckled.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," she assured them.

"And if she ever does get into any trouble, I'll be there to make sure she can get out of it," Peter promised with a teasing grin as the other smiled, all except Redwood. He looked up at Peter with a stern, serious, fixed gaze.

"You better look after her, Peter; protect her from all harm, love and cherish her more than any other," he said.

"I will, Redwood," the boy promised with a solemn nod.

"You have made your decision then, Ivy?" Aslan said to the girl as she turned to the great lion and smiled, tears still flowing down her face.

"Yes, Aslan."

"Then it is time," he said as she dropped Redwood to the ground.

Suddenly, the lion drew close to her and breathed upon her, a sweet, light breath which seemed to wrap itself around her body. It started at her feet and made its way up her body. As she watched, her bare feet were given beautiful, blue slippers and her legs were beginning to be covered with a light azure skirt, embroidered with silver flowers. As Aslan's breath traveled up the expanse of her body, her green dress was replaced with the torso of this new dress until her chest and arms were also clothed in royal grandeur. When she finally realized what had just happened to her, she noticed that this dress that she wore now was the very same dress that had been ripped to shreds only days ago, the very same dress Peter had given to her. She slowly reached out one arm to feel the other. The very instant her skin touched she could feel the life within her, the true, vibrant, beautiful mortality that was now hers. She couldn't stop crying, not until Peter wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her into his gentle embrace. He kissed her cheek softly and stroked her hair lovingly.

"P-Peter," she gasped after a moment. "I-I'm hu-human."

"Ivy," he whispered, barely believing it himself.

"And now, my children, it is time you returned to your home," Aslan instructed. "You need only jump into the river and you will be transported back to your own world."

"We, we should all hold hands," Susan decided, looking back at Caspian one last time as she felt Lucy and Edmund's hands slip into her own. Peter took hold of Edmund's and Ivy's, and before any of the children could think about it, they jumped into the cold water, but it only stung for a mere second. The next thing they knew they were falling out of their own fireplace, coughing and sputtering from the dust that had been swept up by the disturbed ashes. They were all back in their night clothes; Ivy even found herself in a light, airy nightgown of evergreen.

"Well, we're back," Edmund said, standing up and dusting himself off as the others followed.

"So we are," Susan breathed dejectedly.

"I'm sorry, Susan."

"It's all right; I will never forget him, and just knowing that at one time a man like he loved me is more than any girl could ever ask for," she replied.

"Don't worry, Susan; I know Aslan has someone here in this world for you; he wouldn't want you to be unhappy in your own home," Lucy assured her.

"Thanks, Lu." Susan grinned down at her sister's optimism cheerily. "I know you're right."

"Wh-what's to become of me?" Ivy spoke up finally as the four Pevensies turned to look at her.

"You'll live with us," Peter decided then and there, wrapping a firm arm around her.

"Yes, I'm sure Mother would be glad to have you," Susan agreed with a nod. "We'll just have to come up with an explanation as to how you got here." She laughed.

"That's not at all what I'm concerned about right now," Peter said, eyes gazing into Ivy's dreamily. "You're here and that's all the matters." He cupped her head in his hand and wrapped his other arm around her waist, pulling her into his body gracefully and bringing his lips to hers slowly. When their lips touched an electricity ran through hers veins, a love like none other, and she knew she didn't have to worry about her future. In his arms, she was home.

The End


End file.
